Trinidad and Tobago contractor Shandon Arjoon shot dead in South Oropouche

Trinidad and Tobago: A 39-year-old contractor and a businessman, was shot and killed on Tuesday, March 17, at Oropouche Main Road, near the St Mary’s Interchange in South Oropouche. Following the shooting, the local police have launched an investigation. 

According to police reports the victim has been identified as 39-year-old Shandon Arjoon, a contractor and businessman of Mon Desir, who was shot multiple times. Reportedly, the incident took place on Tuesday, at around 11:20 a.m., when the victim was standing near the construction site. 

The initial police reports claim that the victim Arjoon was standing next to the site, along Oropouche Main Road, near the St. Mary’s Interchange, where the crews were working, when suddenly a man, clad in a ski mask, a long-sleeved blue jersey and a pair of black long jeans with a black knapsack in front of his chest, approached him.

Upon approaching the victim, the suspect suddenly took out a gun and pointed it on the victim but before Arjoon could do anything the suspect opened fire at him, shooting him multiple times. However the victim tried to run and escape the scene but collapsed and died. 

After that, the armed suspect fled the scene on foot and then entered in a vehicle, waiting at the getaway which sped away from the scene, following which the workers at the site contacted the police officer. 

On arrival, the officers found the lifeless body of the victim on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds. The medical officers then checked the body for signs of life but pronounced him dead at the scene. 

Since then the local police officers launched an investigation into the matter to know the circumstances surrounding the incident. The officers also transported the body of the victim to the forensic centre where a post mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of his death. 

The officers are also urging the residents of the nearby areas to come forward if they have any further information about the incident or about the suspect as they described him as a man of African descent with a Rastafarian hairstyle, slim built, who was wearing a blue long-sleeve jersey with black jeans at the time of the incident.

Authorities believe that the killing might be linked to an ongoing land dispute stemming from a parcel of land which Arjoon had recently purchased to construct a commercial and residential building. The officers also reported that his family were continuously receiving threats related to this dispute as recently as last year.

The incident has shocked the community of Trinidad and Tobago as many people took to facebook to express their feelings and sadness over the death of Shandon. One of the users Haniff Sookhan commented “RIP. I hope the family and the deceased get justice.” while the other users questioned the authorities “you people were cracking down on illegal weapons  as we hear daily that you recovered this much weapon or drugs, but what is happening on a daily basis states that all were fake and you don't do much. I hope his should rest in peace”