Trinidad and Tobago: Police shooting in St Augustine leaves one dead, one critically injured

Trinidad and Tobago: A 31-year-old man and his common-law wife were fatally shot during the high-speed police chase incident on Tuesday, January 20, in St. Augustine South. Authorities claim the couple was involved in alleged criminal activities, but their families are denying the claims and are demanding justice.

The victims have been identified as 31-year-old Joshua Samaroo, worked as  a courier with food drop and his common-law wife Kaia Sealy, a hairdresser, residents of Bamboo Settlement in Valsayn, Trinidad and Tobago.

According to police reports, the incident took place on Tuesday, January 20, at the corner of Bassie Street Extension and Dookiesingh Street in St. Augustine South, when they were chasing the couple’s car from the Maloney area to St. Augustine.

The officers claim that after warning the individuals seated in a Samaroo’s white Toyota Aqua, registration PDS 1703, to stop and pursuing the vehicle for a while, police fired shots at the vehicle to stop.

Following which the vehicle collided into a shallow drain and both the victims sustained gunshot wounds and critical injuries, responding to which officers immediately transported them to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt. Hope hospital.

Upon reaching the hospital, staff immediately admitted both of them and started their treatment but despite the doctors continuous efforts and treatment Joshua Samaroo succumbed to his injuries while his common-law wife Kaia Sealy is in a critical condition and is fighting for her life.

The officers claimed that they reacted to a report that both the individuals were carrying illegal firearms and ammunition in the vehicle.

However, the family members of the victims denied all the claims and reports presented by the officers and claimed that “neither Samaroo nor Kaia Sealy was involved in any criminal activities.”

Samaroo’s family members also stated that "since the incident happened we have visited officers to communicate about the incident or ask them about what led to the fatal encounter but the officers are refusing to talk to us and are not answering any of our questions.”

Along with this they urged the higher authorities to look into the matter while highlighting that “the couple shares a five-year-old son, and Samaroo also has an older child from a previous relationship, both the child lost their father while their mother is fighting for her life.”

This shooting incident has sparked widespread concern over the police use of deadly force, prompting TTPS to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and to launch an investigation. The TTPS has not released an official statement on the incident as the investigation is ongoing.