Arriving Passenger Killed at Airport, 4 days after SoE Ends

FOUR days after a State of Emergency to deal with gang warfare ended in Trinidad and Tobago, an arriving passenger was murdered as he was about to enter a vehicle at the Piarco International Airport on Thursday morning.

Reports are that the man had just arrived at the terminal at around 2.30 am and was walking towards a black SUV waiting for him near the arrivals area.

Gunmen opened fire on the vehicle killing the man and a second man escaped into the Customs and Excise Unit area.

Officers from the North Central Division and the Homicide Bureau responded

Minister of National Security Marvin Gonzales told AZP News he was aware of the shooting.

In brief message on Thursday morning he said, “The TTPS and other law enforcement agencies are investigating the matter and following critical leads that can result in arrest and prosecution.”

Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan also said the police was dealing was dealing with the matter and security personnel at the airport will do what is necessary to ensure safety at the terminal.

Last week, a fire also occurred at the Piarco International Airport at Amerijet warehouse facility that caused flights to be delayed.

The State of Emergency (SoE) was declared on December 30 last year following a violent attempt on the life of Calvin “Sixx Dan” Lee outside the Besson Street Police Station. The attack resulted in the death of Trevor Williams, 34, who was accompanying Lee to sign his bail book.

In a suspected reprisal attack the following day, five men were murdered: Ryan Lessey, Derron Calliste, Cleon Lugin, Kambon Omowale, and Gareth Smart, sparking fears of escalating gang violence and prompting authorities to act decisively.

The violence continued with the shocking murder of special state prosecutor Randall Hector, 43, who was gunned down in front of his family after attending church. This incident underscored the urgent need for the SoE.

Since the declaration, police have conducted 5,092 operations, leading to 3,926 arrests, police said. Among those detained were 50 individuals held under the Preventive Detention Order. Out of these 50, 11 were charged, and the rest were released.

The operations also involved 35,522 searches and 4,588 traffic stops, uncovering 17,245 traffic offenses.

Law enforcement efforts resulted in the seizure of 195 firearms, 4,080 rounds of ammunition, and significant quantities of drugs, including over 1,750 kg of marijuana and nearly 186 kg of cocaine.

The crackdown appears to be having an impact, with a reported decrease in crime. As of last Friday, there were 112 murders, compared to 160 during the same period last year. Woundings and shootings dropped from 206 to 137, and robberies fell from 708 to 433.

As of April 15, the murder toll in Trinidad and Tobago for the year was 113.