(Trinidad Express) – Only six months ago Jerrold Maule became a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service.

He strived for excellence in whatever he did, and had dreams of one day becoming an airline pilot or paramedic, his mother said.

On Tuesday night, however, those dreams and aspirations all came to a sudden end. So too did his life.

Maule, 27, was killed when gunmen pumped 18 bullets into his body while he was at a parlour at Phase One, La Horquetta.

He lived at Evelyn Trace, Tumpuna Road, Arima, and was the father of a three-year-old girl and the step-father of a nine-year-old.

He was last attached to the Fire Service Headquarters on Wrightson Road, Port of Spain. This murder and that of drug addict Danraj Ali pushed the murder toll for the year to 30, as compared to 33 last year.

What may have led to Maule’s murder remained a mystery to both the police and his family.

Investigators said Maule was at the parlour around 9.55 pm, when a dark-coloured car pulled up and two men in masks came out of the car and began firing in his direction. In all, 26 shots were fired, police said.

Two other men–Jimmy Seenath, 21, and Ferdinand Dalipsingh, 34—who were also shot in the hail of bullets remained hospitalized. Seenath was shot in the leg, while Dalipsingh was shot once in the right side of his chest.

Maule’s mother, Lynette Maule told reporters: “I don’t know who could have done this and I don’t know why they did it. He was devoted to his family. He was devoted to his wife, his daughter and his step-daughter… His family is extremely proud of him for what he has achieved in his 27 years of life.