Cops clear road after Toco protest

TOCO COMMUTERS breathed a sigh of relief yesterday after officers from the Toco Police Station removed logs and debris scattered along the Toco Main Road, L’Anse Noire on Wednesday night by residents protesting the slaying of a villager by police during a raid.

The residents cut trees and threw concrete blocks and rusted metal to block the Toco Main Road, causing travellers to walk almost three miles from Trois Roches to get to L’Anse Noire Village. Taxi drivers were also caught in the fray and a few refused fares to the protesting village. The protest began around 10 pm Wednesday night after villagers heard about the shooting death of Glenroy “Bro Bro” Elder. Elder was described by residents as a quiet and hard working young man whose only “vice” was smoking marijuana.

The incident unfolded when officers on a routine exercise in the area stopped and searched two men. Elder and another man was liming in an abandoned building on the Main Road and on seeing the officers they ran. One of the officers pursued Elder and a single shot was fired, which caught him in the shoulder. He later died from the gun shot wound. Residents on the scene said they blocked the road to protest the manner in which Elder was shot, and to attract the attention of the “higher authority so that they would investigate the incident thoroughly”.

When the clean-up got underway yesterday, officers from the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation’s Toco Regional Office sought the assistance of the villagers to ensure the roadway remains unobstructed. One resident, who preferred to remain anonymous, said “it was just a matter of wait and see what comes out of the investigation, and how they handle the officer who pull the trigger”. “Bro Bro was a real cool fellah and it sad to see him get killed in that manner. Somebody have to pay for taking away a good soul. We just watching and waiting now.” Relatives say they are waiting for the autopsy  before making any funeral arrangements.