Trinidad: Passenger fires at police during high-speed chase; Licensed gun owner held

Trinidad and Tobago: A licensed firearm holder has been taken into police custody after a passenger in his vehicle allegedly opened fire on police officers during a high-speed chase. Police also discovered marijuana in the vehicle, along with excess ammunition and additional drugs during a search of his residence.

As per the official reports, the incident unfolded around 10:45 p.m. on Sunday, June 28 as the officers responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the Pax Vale, Santa Cruz area. Police noted that they spotted the vehicle, a black B-15, which was being driven without its headlights on. As the officers approached the vehicle, the driver immediately sped off, resulting in a pursuit with sirens and emergency lights activated.

During the high-speed chase, a passenger reportedly jumped off from the rear of the vehicle and fired two back-to-back shots at the police officers who were allegedly pursuing the vehicle.

According to further reports, one of the officers returned fire instantly but the gunman escaped by running into the nearby bushes as the investigations are continuing to locate him while he remains at large.

The chase lasted a short distance away along the Saddle Road, where the driver surrendered and reportedly told the officers, “Sorry boss, it’s just some weed I have.”

Police further carried on the investigations and searched the vehicle and allegedly found 146 marijuana plants packed inside three cardboard boxes in the trunk and the driver was also found in possession of a licensed Glock GES pistol with two magazines containing 34 rounds of 9 mm ammunition.

An initial subsequent search of the 63-year-old of Pax Vale’s home led the officers to additional quantities of marijuana, two legally owned firearms, and an ammunition that police reported was not listed on his Firearm User’s License (FUL).

Further crime scene investigations are also underway into the shooting and the drug finds as the police process the area where shots were fired.