Karate champion shoots 16-year-old in robbery

KARATE CHAMPION Samuel Stafford risked his own life yesterday  when he intervened during a robbery taking place  opposite his business at Santa Cruz and shot a 16-year-old schoolboy, who was allegedly part of the bandit team. The injured schoolboy was held and handed over to officers of the Santa Cruz Police Station. He was taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he was treated and warded under police guard. Stafford, the proprietor of Wild Thing, which specialises in the sale of wild meat,  said yesterday that if he had to respond to assist any of his friends and neighbours, “I would do it all again.” Stafford, the winner of several international Karate championships, made it clear that if he has to apologise to anyone, “it will be the parents of the teenager who was shot.”

He said he did not want to talk about the incident. Stafford feels that all communities need to show the criminals that they can be overpowered and dealt with. He felt that people in TT needed to  reclaim their communities. Police reports said that about 6.30 pm, three masked men armed with guns and cutlasses entered Gomez Super-market at Lower Cantaro Village, Santa Cruz, and held up 41-year-old cashier Eliza-beth Gomez. Gomez became afraid and handed over $1,500 in cash. She was then cuffed in the head, police said. As the three bandits were boarding a waiting vehicle, Stafford whose business is located opposite Gomez Supermarket, ordered the suspects to stop. One of the bandits pointed a gun at Stafford, who pulled out his licensed gun and fired. He struck the 16-year-old twice in the chest, police said.

The bandits returned fire and Stafford’s father was shot in the left arm. The two bandits fled the scene leaving behind the injured 16-year old. Officers of the Santa Cruz Police Station were contacted and a party of officers led by Inspectors Hillaire, Koon Koon, Sgt Warner Paul and detective Kern Parris went to the scene. Gomez Supermarket has been robbed seven times between last year and this year, and owner Rambal Chan is contemplating whether to close the business for good. He told Newsday yesterday that he will remain closed for the rest of the year. The last robbery at his supermarket was on November 24 and Chan feels that the next time around his relatives could end up dead or seriously injured and he does not want to take any more chances.