National Security Minister Edmund Dillon has “completely” dismissed claims that off-duty inspector Kenneth Morgan acted in a “trigger happy” manner when he opened fire on two bandits during a robbery at a barbershop on Friday.
Both bandits were shot during the incident with one dying on the spot and the other escaping in a waiting vehicle.
The deceased bandit was yesterday identified as 21-year-old Shaquille John from El Dorado.
A manhunt has been launched for his accomplice.
In addition to the two bandits, Morgan as well as four other customers in the barbershop were injured in the shootout.
Hassan Ali, 35, who was shot in the head was in a critical condition at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital yesterday, while Antonio Credlo was shot in one eye and shoulder and also hospitalised.
The other injured men were identified as Johnathan Vincent and Afzard Khan.
Dillon yesterday visited Morgan at the Westshore Medical Private Hospital.
Dillon said he was “duty-bound” to do so.
Speaking to the media after his visit, Dillon lauded Morgan, whom he incorrectly called Gibson on three occasions, for his “courageous stand.”
“I feel duty-bound because of the situation where Insp Gibson (sic) literally put his life on the line to save not only his own life but others in a situation where again those who are bent on committing criminal offences in Trinidad and Tobago feel that they can do it almost openly. And fortunately for us and fortunately for those who were around in La Puerta at the barbershop that Insp Gibson (sic) was there notwithstanding he was off-duty. He took the oath of the policeman and so he came to the defence of those who were present and in that situation he himself was shot in the incident,” Dillon said.
Following the shooting some, including the family of the injured, have questioned Morgan’s reaction to the incident.
“That is an assumption that they are making. I think they should look at the brighter side of it, that he was present. Had he not been present it could have been worse. Because the people who came there certainly did not come for a haircut, they came there with weapons, illegal arms and I’m sure they did not come there for a haircut.”