Trinidad: Father, 9-year-old son shot in targeted home invasion at Maloney Gardens

Trinidad and Tobago: A 9-year-old boy and 33-year-old father were shot during a terrifying 10-minute home invasion at their Maloney Gardens apartment in the early hours of Wednesday.

According to police reports the tragic incident that rocked residents of Building 16 out of their sleep occurred around 4 a.m. on October 15 after the 33-year-old father and resident of a  two-bedroom apartment on the third floor heard loud knocks on the door.

Hearing the knocks that kept on going in the early morning, the 33-year-old father got out of bed and went to answer the door.

He proceeded to the door and unlocked it, while trying to see who was on the other side, thinking it was the authorities, realizing it was not law enforcement officers, 4 masked men reportedly forced entry into the house as the victim tried to lock the door.

Four masked men armed with guns reportedly gained entry into the apartment. However, after seeing the predicament he was in, the father reportedly rushed to his son’s room, and dove on him trying to protect him.

One of the gunmen chased after him and opened fire that struck both the father and son in their legs while one assailant guarded the door. The nine-year-old boy reportedly sustained injuries in the left heel of his foot as he slept, while his 33-year-old father was shot in the left toe.

Following the shooting the armed men reportedly fled the scene using a vehicle that was downstairs waiting for them. The 33-year-old father and his 9 year-old boy were then rushed to the Arima Hospital by their neighbors who heard the whole incident.

Police have processed the scene and uncovered eight 9mm spent shell casings from the bedroom and living room, as well as a piece of the damaged front door, which was thrown onto the grassy playground three floors down after it was kicked in.

The police have further confirmed that the two victims have remained warded in stable condition, as they are proceeding with the investigation into the attack that seems to have been targeted as reportedly the 4 assailants went directly from the vehicle to the door of the 33-year-old father who lived with his son.

With the motive of the attack yet to be established, investigators continue investigating the incident.