Labourer, 24 arrested for arms possession, shooting with intent

Police raided a house in Santa Flora yesterday and arrested a 24-year-old man after a gun and six rounds of ammunition were found hidden under his mattress. Ballistic testing done on the firearm revealed that it was used in Tuesday’s shooting at the home of 26-year-old welder, Keith Beatrice.

Investigators said around 2 am Beatrice was asleep at his house in Buenos Ayres, Erin, when he heard a loud explosion, followed by the sound of shattering glass. When he investigated, he found his front window broken. A bullet was lodged in the wooden frame of the window.

Detectives led by acting Cpl Bahadur and WPC Henley searched the suspect’s home and found a Smith and Wesson firearm, loaded with six rounds of ammunition.  The suspect was taken to the Siparia CID where he was charged with shooting with intent, possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition. The labourer will appear before a Siparia magistrate today to answer the charges.

Meanwhile, police are also investigating a robbery at Vegas City Bar, located at Santa Flora. Investigators said around 3.05 am, Josanna Morgan, 32, of Jacob Settlement Santa Flora was conducting business at the bar when a man pointed a gun at her head.  The man robbed Morgan of an undisclosed amount of cash. Constable Maharaj is continuing investigations. The police were also looking for two men who robbed Irma Samlal, 51, a proprietor of Southern Main Road, La Romaine.

She was conducting sales at Samlal’s Supermarket when two men held her at gunpoint. The men robbed her of $10,000 and cigarettes valued $370. One of Samlal’s customers, Thomas Hyacinth, 57, of Pond Street, La Romaine was also robbed.