Trinidad and Tobago: Venezuelan community demands justice after fatal Bar shooting involving off-duty Police Officer

Trinidad and Tobago: Fatal bar shooting in Longdenville left one man dead and the Venezuelan community is calling for justice over his death and are urging to know the other side of the story rather than what the police officers have shared.

According to police reports the shooting incident involving an off duty police officer and 25-year-old Edimir Gonzales, a Venezuelan national of Hispanic descent occurred on August 31, 2025 around 2:45.

The scene took place after an altercation erupted between a prison officer and Gonzales just outside a bar in Longdenville where they both were.

The witnesses shared that during the altercation Gonzales struck the prison officer in the head causing injuries before leaving to the nearby apartment to arm himself with a  knife in an attempt to stab the prison officer.

Seeing Gonzales advances as he got back, an off duty police officer also present at the bar, then decided to take matters into his own hands and fired several rounds of his TTPS-issued Sig Sauer pistol at the 25-year-old.

Shortly after, CDTF Task Force North officers  responded to the scene only to find Gonzales laying motionless on the ground. The Hispanic descent citizen was soon pronounced dead at the scene even  before the District Medical Officer arrived at the scene and ordered the removal of his body.

Several 9mm shell casings and a knife were recovered at the crime scene by investigators including PC Frankbull. Cunupia CID officers,  PC Backan and PC Sampson also visited the scene. While the injured prison officer was being treated at the Chaguanas Health Facility.

Alarms of the incident have been raised throughout Trinidad and Tobago as this time around a Venezuelan citizen died in the arms of the law enforcement officers designed to keep citizens safe with many speculating on Facebook that the police reports do not match the eye witnesses reports and how is an off duty officer allowed to carry a gun.

With one citizen taking to Facebook to write, that they would also like to hear the civilians sides of the incident, stating "I am sure there were witnesses and the account given by the police is what their colleague/the killer told them that may be cooked up by him and the prison officer, plus there should be footage.”

While other citizens have shown their support for the law enforcement officers and wrote “Condolences to the family! If it’s true he hurt an officer and came back with a knife, he got what he deserved! Great job for defending another officer.”

The case is still undergoing further probing.