The checkered pasts of a man and his nephew caught up with them yesterday when they were both shot dead by a party of patrolling police officers who reportedly had information that they were about to commit a robbery.
By Gyasi GonzalesDead are Roger Raphael, 31, and his nephew, Kamo Raphael, 25, who, along with another man yet to be found, were heading into Port of Spain via the Lady Young Road, Morvant.
Sometime around 4 p.m., officers of the Crime Suppression Unit received information that the men were in a blue Honda Civic in the vicinity of the Morvant Lookout. They intercepted the vehicle.
Police said they ordered the men to stop but the trio opted instead to reply with bullets.
Officers returned the fire, hitting both Roger and Kamo about their heads and bodies.
The third suspect is said to have fled the scene and remains at large. Police believe he may have sustained injuries.
None of the officers were injured. They rushed the two men to the Port of Spain General Hospital where they were pronounced dead on arrival.
A shotgun and a 9mm pistol were found in the car.
Meanwhile, officers of the Inter-Agency Task Force conducted a roadblock at the corner of Observatory Street and Belmont Circular Road in a bid to find the elusive third suspect. The search continued up to Press time but was fruitless.
At around 6 p.m., the Express visited the Akal Trace, San Juan, home of both men.
News of the incident had already crept in as several teary-eyed family members tried to come to grips with the incident.
Kamo's mother, however, was very honest with the Express and admitted trying to talk to her son many times about his behaviour.
Marilyn Walker, Kamo's mother, said she expected something like this to happen, adding that, at the time of the shooting, she got "a headache and a coldness" about her body.
She said that she had tried to talk to him many times about his (Kamo's) behaviour...(she did not go into detail) but said, "Nobody couldn't talk to him more than me." She admitted that keeping an eye on him was difficult, having nine other children.
Walker continued that Kamo had had run-ins with the law and claimed that the police were out to kill him.
Camille Raphael, Roger Raphael's sister, described her brother as an artist. "He was a loving man and he was also a very good father," she said.
Belmont Police are continuing enquiries.
