1 dead, 2 schoolboys among 3 wounded in Brasso shooting

Marsha Joseph speaks with Newsday about her son, murder victim Christopher Ricardo "Ricky" Joseph, at her home in Tabaquite on October 15. Joseph's son was killed in Brasso Caparo earlier that day. - Ayanna Kinsale

THE parents of two brothers caught in a deadly shooting in Brasso Village have called on police to leave no stone unturned as they mourn the death of one son and pray for the recovery of another.

Construction worker Christopher Ricardo “Ricky” Joseph, 20, was killed in the early hours of October 15, when gunmen opened fire at a house along Caparo Valley Brasso Road, central Trinidad.

His brother Colly Joseph, 23, as well as 15-year-old Jerryl Ganness of Los Attajos, and 16-year-old Darias Shadrack, students of Tabaquite Secondary School, were also shot and wounded.

Marsha Joseph, 45, said she learned of her son’s death around 6 am when police officers visited her home in Devenish Hill, Tabaquite.

Visibly shaken, Joseph, who is visually impaired, recalled her last conversation with Ricky, which took place the night before.

“He called and said he loves me,” she said, wiping away tears.

Asked if this was something he usually said, she shook her head and could not respond. “He was going to a shop and said, ‘Ma, I will call you back.’ That was it until this morning.”

Just over a week ago, he moved to the Brasso house to stay with his brother, Colly Joseph. The two had started working together in the Port of Spain area and often left together around 5 am.

She described her son as someone who “kept to himself,” and while he listened to gangster music, he was no gangster.

“He had a court matter a few years ago for larceny, and he was placed on a bond, so he was following the law,” she said.

Colly, like the schoolboys, was hospitalised up to late October 15.

“We are praying for Colly,” Marsha said.

The mother also expressed frustration and sorrow, drawing a connection to a previous tragedy her family had endured.

In February, her uncle, Rajindra “Syo” Ramcharan, 33, was shot and killed in an orange field in Tabaquite. The family believes Ramcharan was lured to his death.

“He was not 100. He was not a saint. But I do not believe that people should kill other people regardless of what they did. Who are we to judge? People need justice, closure,” she said.

Christopher’s father, Smith Joseph, 65, said his son was a decent young man who took pride in his appearance.

“He worked for his paper, and he loved nice clothes, nice perfume. He took care of himself,” he said.

Smith, who suffered a stroke in 2020 and had a leg amputated, urged police to commit fully to solving all crimes. “Police should put 100 per cent effort into solving all crimes,” he said.

The shooting took place around 2 am inside an unfinished wooden structure on the compound of Darias’s relatives, who live in a separate house nearby.

Villagers reported hearing gunshots and later found Christopher’s body with multiple bullet wounds.

The wounded were first taken to the Chaguanas Health Centre before being transferred to Mt Hope.

Darias was initially reported to have died and was later confirmed to be in critical condition. When Newdsay visited the family’s home, no one was there.

His friend, Jerryl, of Los Attajos, had reportedly moved out of his home earlier this year after family members expressed concern about his behaviour.

His mother was in the hospital visiting him when Newsday visited his home.

Police from the Central Division and the Homicide Bureau of Investigations, Region Three, are continuing investigations.

Police believe the motive to be drug-related.

Speaking with the media at the Forensic Sciences Complex in St James, Joseph’s family described him as a man who was always jolly and now starting to enjoy life.

“He was working, self-employed and always hustling, but he had no kids yet.

“His life had now started. He wanted to do so much,” said his sister as she held back tears.

Relatives said they had little information about the circumstances surrounding the incident as they were awakened by the bad news and were still trying to gather information themselves.

“We just got the news this morning. We woke up to it. All we know is both of them got shot and Ricardo (Joseph) didn’t make it.”

They recalled seeing him the day before he died.

“I always used to see him, up to yesterday he passed right in front my house and hail me,” said a female relative.

Another said she saw him too as he passed by her house while on his way to buy something in a nearby shop.

“It is really sad and it rests in God’s hands now,” she said as she wiped tears from her cheek.

Joseph’s family said they were hoping to see justice for his death and his brother’s shooting.

“If we don’t get it with the law, we will surely get it with God. God sees and knows everything so that’s all I have to say!”

Another relative, though, lamented the crime situation and said he did not believe the police would regain control of it.

“It is too far gone for that. Things are just out of control these days and that isn’t going to change.”

There have been 299 murders so far for the year with more than two dozen recorded in the past two weeks despite the ongoing state of emergency.

There has been a noticeable spike, and the monthly murder toll for October (28) has actually surpassed last year’s monthly figure (27).

The annual toll to date, however, is considerably less than last year’s which saw TT record 501 murders between January 1 and October 15, 2024.