Tears at funeral of teen killed at fete

Hundreds of mourners turned up in Cunupia yesterday to pay their last respects to Kevin Cato, the 18-year-old salesman who was shot dead at the “Outrageous in Red” fete held at Pier 1. Schoolchildren, neighbours, co-workers and friends of Cato could not hold back the tears while viewing the body of the teenager in an elaborate casket at his Cunupia home yesterday. Some mourners fainted, others wept continuously, while others were restrained from viewing the body after they became hysterical with grief. Kevin’s mother Marilyn Cato was constantly comforted by relatives, while his father Isidore looked on in grief and shock. In his eulogy, Pastor Lloyd Campbell noted that Kevin was a gentle and humble human being. He added that in some instances, people are influenced by friends and they are led into temptation which often gets them in trouble.

He said that untimely deaths are inevitable, but people must remember the creator at all times and trust in him. Several angry mourners told Newsday that Kevin did not deserve to die the way he did. They added that they will be monitoring the case to ensure that justice prevails and called on all citizens to keep tabs on the case. Others called on Police Commissioner Everald Snaggs to hold an emergency meeting with senior officers and issue instructions that police officers avoid using excessive force when dealing with members of the public. “Police officers are trained to deal with situations, and they should know when to use force and when to avoid doing so,” said some mourners at the funeral. The police officer who shot the two men has since been charged with murder. John Solomon, the father of Ryan Solomon, who was also shot at the fete, turned up to pay his last respects. He said that his son has been moved from the Port-of-Spain General Hospital to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex. Solomon said that his son is improving and is expected to undergo surgery soon.