Man shot again in third attack in two years in Trinidad

Trinidad and Tobago: A 45-year-old former murder accused was attacked for the third time in two years in New Grant, Princes Town, on the night of Friday, April 10, which has left him injured with gunshot wounds. Details surrounding the incident remain unclear and limited while officers are probing the attack. 

The injured man has been identified as 45-year-old Aaron Grappie, a former murder accused. He is a resident of Farmers Trace, New Grant, in Princes Town.

According to police reports, the officers responded to a shooting report on Friday night, at Farmers Trace, New Grant, where the victim was attacked by an armed man just a few months after he survived a previous shooting in Moruga.

Reportedly, this was not the first time when Aaron Grappie was attacked by someone as he was previously attacked multiple times which has left him with severe injuries. June 2024 was the first time when he was ambushed by the assailants.

The incident began when he was standing in his house’s yard at approximately 7:00 p.m., when suddenly a masked man armed with a firearm dressed in dark clothing approached him from behind and started firing in his direction, striking him in the torso.

Despite being injured, the victim managed to flee the area and later raised an alarm which made the attacker retreat and he escaped the scene in a waiting Nissan AD Wagon. Following the shooting, he was transported to the Princes Town District Health Facility where he was initially treated before being transferred to the San Fernando General Hospital, where later he was listed in critical condition.

The second shooting attack took place on January 10, when the victim went to St Mary’s Village, Moruga, to meet his friend where he was attacked at around 10:00 p.m. by some armed men who emerged in a white Toyota Aqua near the residence where the victim went.

After that the armed men exited the vehicle and opened fire in the victim's direction while chasing him. This incident has left Grappie injured in the hand and knee where he later collapsed at the back of the house. He was then taken to the nearby hospital where he was treated and later listed in stable condition. During this investigation, officers recovered multiple 9mm shells from the scene, but no arrests were made that time.

Authorities believe that these shooting incidents or recent attacks on Aaron follow his previous criminal charges. They noted that he was among those five men who were involved in a kidnapping and a murder of a businesswoman Samdaye Rampersad, who was buried alive in 2005. Since his and his fellow convicts' release, several of the men have met violent attacks. 

The investigation into the matter is ongoing and no arrests have been made till now. Further details will be provided when it becomes available.