HIGH DRAMA ALONG WRIGHTSON ROAD IN PORT OF SPAIN AS THERE WAS A SHOOTOUT BETWEEN POLICE AND A SUSPECTED KIDNAPPER WHO, ACCORDING TO CELL PHONE VIDEO, SHOT AND KILLED HIMSELF DURING A FOOT CHASE WITH POLICE OFFICERS ON MONDAY 13TH JUNE, 2022.
THE INCIDENT STEMMED FROM A CARJACKING, KIDNAPPING AND WOUNDING OF A PH TAXI DRIVER BY A PASSENGER IN CHAGUARAMAS, APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR PRIOR TO THE BRAZEN SHOOTING ALONG WRIGHTSON ROAD.
POLICE SAID AROUND 8:30AM, 39-YEAR-OLD OSWALD GARDENER OF MORVANT WAS PLYING HIS SILVER NISSAN B-15 MOTOR CAR, REGISTRATION PBU 1258, FROM PORT OF SPAIN TO CARENAGE. UPON REACHING SKALLY WAG BAY IN CHAGUARAMAS, THE LONE PASSENGER PULLED OUT A GUN, ANNOUNCED A HOLDUP AND ORDERED THE DRIVER INTO THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE.
GARDENER, WHO STILL HAD HIS CELL PHONE ON HIM, MANAGED TO CONTACT THE POLICE AND INFORMED THEM OF THE ROBBERY AND KIDNAPPING. HE LATER OPENED THE TRUNK OF HIS VEHICLE IN THE VICINITY OF MOBS 2.
THE SUSPECT THEN SHOT AT GARDENER, HITTING HIM IN THE LEG BEFORE SPEEDING OFF WITH VICTIM’S CAR. GARDENER WAS TAKEN TO THE ST. JAMES MEDICAL FACILITY BY OFFICERS OF THE CHAGUARAMAS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ESTATE POLICE.
A WIRELESS REPORT WAS AGAIN ISSUED BY THE POLICE COMMAND CENTRE TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE VEHICLE WITH THE ARMED SUSPECT.
WPC WICKHAM AND PC PIERRE OF THE WESTERN DIVISION ERP, WHO WERE ON A STATIC DUTY AT WATERHOLE COCORITE, SPOTTED THE VEHICLE HEADING EAST ALONG THE WESTERN MAIN ROAD, AND BEGAN FOLLOWING IT.
POLICE SAID AROUND 9AM, THE OFFICERS ATTEMPTED TO INTERCEPT THE SILVER NISSAN B-15 MOTOR CAR BUT THE DRIVER EMERGED FROM THE MOVING VEHICLE AND OPENED FIRE AT THE APPROACHING POLICE VEHICLES.
THE CAR THEN CRASHED INTO A CULVERT AT A NEARBY TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THE DRIVER RAN ALONG THE WEST BOUND LANE OUTSIDE THE UTT’S JOHN DONALDSON TECHNICAL SCHOOL WITH PC PIERRE AND WPC WICKHAM IN HOT PURSUIT.
SHOTS WERE FIRED AND THE SUSPECT COLLAPSED ON THE LAWN OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL. HE QUICKLY PLACED A GUN UNDER HIS CHIN AND PULLED THE TRIGGER. HE WAS TAKEN TO THE ST JAMES MEDICAL FACILITY BY OTHER OFFICERS WHERE HE WAS DECLARED DEAD AROUND 10AM. POLICE SAID THEY RECOVERED A PISTOL FROM THE SUSPECT AND SEVERAL SPENT SHELLS INSIDE THE VEHICLE HE WAS DRIVING.
