(Trinidad Express) Beetham residents formed a human barricade and then littered the highway with debris yesterday morning, protesting the deaths of three residents in a police related shooting on Saturday.
The angry residents blocked the east and westbound lanes of the Beetham Highway, as well as the Priority Bus Route, causing gridlock traffic.
Drivers heading out of the city made a U-turn on the highway and drove in the opposite direction to avoid falling victim.
Debris was also set on fire in the Sealots area.
Police responded to the scene and cleared the roadway at around 11a.m. However, the residents returned with burning tyres, pieces of metal and garbage across the roadway.
The residents are demanding justice in the shooting deaths of Fabian Richards, Niko Williams, both in their 20s and 17-year-old Isaiah Roberts. The deceased are from Snake Valley, Laventille, Trou Macacque, Beetham Gardens. A fourth person, who was critically injured, has been identified as 16-year-old Malakai Glenn.
Residents are saying that the men did not fire at the officers and were murdered. They have also disputed claims by the officers that a firearm was recovered inside the vehicle.
“These youths were innocent. They never even had a case. They have no police record, nothing. These are innocent children they kill. They just went to a birthday party and coming home and the police just decide to shoot everybody,” a resident said.
The incident happened at about 3.20 a.m. along Independence Square South, in the vicinity of Chacon Street.
The Express was told that officers of the Western Division were responding to a report that a white Toyota Aqua was seen in the capital, and its occupants were brandishing firearms.
The officers saw a vehicle that matched the description given, and attempted to intercept the car along Independence Square.
However, the driver reportedly sped away.
The responding officers claimed they heard explosions and believed they had come under attack.
The officers returned fire.
The vehicle then crashed into the wall near Republic Bank. In the aftermath, four occupants of the vehicle were shot.
The three men died on the scene, while the fourth victim was taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital for treatment.
Two occupants of the vehicle who were unharmed and taken into custody.
