1 week ago
2
ANNA-LISA PAUL
Senior Reporter
A pensioner who was attacked and beaten with a wheel spanner in an attempted robbery in Santa Cruz early yesterday, turned the tables on his attackers, when he used his licensed firearm, killing two and sending a third into hiding
While the botched robbery has left residents of La Pastora Road wary, the handful who spoke with reporters described the residential area as “quiet,” and said the incident highlighted the need for the proposed stand-your-ground legislation to become a reality.
Police said the 66-year-old victim stopped at the spring near Zainool Mustapha Drive around 5.45 am to wash his white Mazda BT50 pickup, as he was accustomed to doing daily.
But around 6.15 am, a grey Nissan Cube drove past and pulled in front of his vehicle. Two men came out from the front and rear passenger seats, leaving a masked driver behind the wheel.
The two suspects pointed a gun at the victim and announced a robbery, before attacking him. During the assault, the suspects demanded the keys to the victim’s truck, which he threw into the nearby bushes.
As the suspects retrieved the key and ran around to the front of the truck, the victim pulled his licensed firearm and began shooting at them. He managed to shatter the back glass of the getaway car, hitting the driver, and one of the suspects.
As the victim screamed for help, the driver pulled off but crashed into an embankment metres away from where the robbery took place.
The car stalled and the two bandits ran out and fled towards the river through an open property opposite.
The victim ran towards the idling car and reached in to assist the driver, who had on a black face mask. He reportedly began crying when he realised it was a woman who had been driving.
While the police were yet to confirm the identities of the two suspects up to yesterday, there were reports that identified the getaway driver as Suevie Ghany, 29, of Gasparillo Road, Santa Cruz. Ghany was said to be employed with the San Juan/ Laventille Regional Corporation, but chairman Richard Walcott was unable to confirm this yesterday.
The other bandit who was killed was identified as Aaron Ramdhanie, 23, Ghany’s nephew. He died while undergoing treatment at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC), Mt Hope.
Residents who came out to assist the victim contacted the police and the Emergency Health Services, who took the victim to the same hospital.
Police said the third suspect remained in hiding up to yesterday.
A long-time Santa Cruz resident claimed the family of the suspects was well known to the police, and the male suspect had been reporting once a week to the police station, as he was out on bail.
Residents call for legal guns
Meanwhile, residents in Santa Cruz said they will have to be more alert following yesterday’s incident.
One woman, whose property two of the three suspects ran through to access the drain which empties into the Santa Cruz River, said, “Santa Cruz is normally a safe zone. With this happening this morning, we will have to be on the alert.”
Another homeowner said he had never experienced anything of the sort in the past 12 years he had been living in the area.
This was echoed by another man, who admitted shootings/robberies/woundings were common “lower down in the village.”
The businessman said while this was a “one-off” situation, he welcomed the current thrust for law-abiding citizens to be allowed to carry firearms to protect themselves and their property.
“The people in charge who want to extend or open up the legislation for more people to have access to firearms, is really a positive thing because it have law abiding citizens who paying their taxes and doing the right thing,” he said, adding, “They need to self-protect in situations like this and I for all, who have good characters, businessmen who providing jobs and employment, and those who paying their taxes…could have the opportunity to protect themselves.”
A long-stay tenant who heard the gunshots said while he had never had an issue before, the incident meant there were certain elements lurking around.
Regarding the proposed stand-your-ground law, he was in agreement with law-abiding citizens being able to defend themselves.
“I do approve of people who deserve it, with the proper training, to have it to defend themselves and their property.”
He said the victim in this instance had not left his home to do anyone anything, and could easily have become a statistic.
Another homeowner believed this was a crime of opportunity. He confirmed the victim had been left sad after learning the driver of the getaway car was a woman.
English (US) ·