A murder suspect under police guard at hospital managed to escape and is believed to be responsible for another murder in San Fernando.
The suspect, who police alleged shot and killed Micheal Patterson last Friday on a busy Mucurapo Street, San Fernando, was detained after he was injured on Saturday during a shooting incident which left another of Patterson’s relatives in a critical condition at hospital.
Police remained tight-lipped on the escape yesterday but said an investigation had begun into the circumstance of how the suspect was able to escape.
The feud between warring neighbours has left the community in fear and police are bracing for more reprisal killings.
Police investigators say the suspect on the run allegedly shot and killed Alfredo Patterson at King’s Wharf, San Fernando, hours after he escaped from the hospital on Sunday.
Alfredo Patterson, 25, of Peter Street, La Romaine, died around 1 am yesterday at the hospital from multiple gunshot wounds.
A manhunt has been launched for the 27-year-old suspect of Upper Hillside Drive, San Fernando. Police said he has a gunshot injury to one of his legs and have alerted hospitals, health centres and medical practitioners to be on the lookout for the suspect who would have suffered heavy blood loss.
The Mucurapo Street murder took place around 4.30 pm and the suspect managed to escape after the killer hijacked a motorist and stole his vehicle along Coffee Street. Police said that shooting incident stemmed from a previous altercation where the suspect was reportedly assaulted by Micheal Patterson at Coffee Street last week.
Police said Micheal Patterson was arrested in the past for drug possession and had been out on bail.
Micheal Patterson, 27, of Medine Street, San Fernando, died on the spot.
Police said one of dead man’s relative went to the suspect’s home seeking revenge on Saturday and was shot in the head during a shootout.
They were both taken to the hospital, treated and warded in a critical condition under police guard.
A revolver and a shotgun which were recovered after Saturday’s shootout have been sent for ballistic testing.
Southern Division police are continuing investigations.
In a separate incident, officers from central Trinidad went to an open field in Enterprise, Chaguanas, yesterday, where they recovered a quantity of ammunition, a bullet proof vest, a shoulder gun holster and a quantity of marijuana.
Among the items seized were four pistol magazines, two extended, 269 rounds of 7.62 ammunition, 14 rounds of .45 ammunition, two rounds of .40 ammunition, ten rounds of .38 ammunition, five 12-gauge cartridges and 3.38 kilogrammes of marijuana. No one was arrested.