Coast Guardsman kills bandit, captures another

A Coast Guard officer and former member of the Armed Forces Special Unit came to the rescue of his friend on Friday night, killing one of two bandits who tried to rob his friend and capturing another. According to police reports, around 10 pm Carlyle Rose, a money lender, was approaching his Rose Lane, St John Road, St Augustine home when he saw two strange men in the yard. He ran back to a nearby pub, told his friend, a Coast Guard officer, and together they returned to the house. Rose walked in front, a short distance away and on reaching the back of the house was grabbed and thrown to the ground by a gun-toting man who demanded money. Standing nearby was another bandit with a cutlass. The Coast Guardsman walked into the yard soon afterwards and was greeted with a gun pointed at his face. The officer then drew his licensed firearm and fired three shots hitting the gunman in his head and face. The bandit dropped dead.

The other bandit dropped his cutlass and ran off, but he was quickly held by the fleet-footed Coast Guardsman. St Joseph police were called in and the two men were handed over to them. A 12 gauge homemade shotgun with one live round and a sharpened cutlass were seized. The dead man has only been identified as Sherwin from Chaguanas and police are appealing to anyone with knowledge of his identity, to come forward and assist them. He is believed to be in his mid 20s. A 19-year-old man from Enterprise Village, Chaguanas is assisting police with their investigations. This is the second time for the year Rose has been attacked in his home. In January he was held up and robbed inside the house. Visiting the scene were Supt Farrell, Insp Modeste, Sgt Modeste, Cpls Moona and Hobbs and PC Ramjattan. Cpl Moona is continuing inquiries.