Father of four gunned down at South Oropouche construction site

A 39-year-old man was shot dead near an underpass in South Oropouche while overseeing building work on land he had recently acquired.

Father of four gunned down at South Oropouche construction site

Father of four gunned down at South Oropouche construction site

A 39-year-old man was fatally shot yesterday morning near an underpass along Southern Main Road in South Oropouche. The attack happened at approximately 11:20 am.

Shandon Arjoon, a father to a young daughter, had recently acquired a parcel of land at that location where he was erecting a mixed-use building. Eyewitness accounts suggest he was positioned near the worksite when a male crossed the roadway, discharged two rounds at him, and fled on foot. The shooter was reportedly seen swapping attire while making his getaway.

Keith Arjoon, the victim's father, arrived at the location with relatives while forensic teams and detectives from the homicide unit were examining the area. He portrayed his son as a clean-living man with no ties to gambling, alcohol, or smoking, and said he was at a loss to explain the attack. The elder Arjoon voiced scepticism about the case being resolved and advocated for capital punishment as a deterrent, remarking that the perpetrator had come up behind his son, preventing him from reaching his legally held weapon.

Clint Arjoon, the victim's uncle and head of the Fyzabad Business Chamber, disclosed that his nephew had confided in him about menacing messages he had received but declined to elaborate so as not to hinder the inquiry. Having himself survived an abduction and armed robbery, Clint Arjoon argued that official statistics did not reflect the reality of worsening public safety. He pointed to ongoing emigration driven by fear of violence and rejected claims that crime was on the decline.

The killing took place on Keith Arjoon's birthday. Clint Arjoon remembered his nephew as an upstanding family man who assisted with the household enterprise and doted on his four-year-old child.

Doodnath Mayrhoo, mayor of Siparia and local councillor for the district, observed that the Southwestern Division had formerly enjoyed a reputation as a peaceful zone but that sense of security had eroded. He endorsed reinstating the gallows and accelerating court proceedings to within the constitutional five-year timeframe. He appealed directly to armed criminals to surrender their weapons, warning that their actions were tearing at the social fabric.

Although some linked the homicide to a disagreement over property boundaries, detectives had not established a definitive motive by late yesterday.

Source: Trinidad Guardian

Source: Google News TT — Crime