HOURS after a man was shot dead at Piarco International Airport, in what police described as an execution, acting Police Commissioner Junior Benjamin says there will be an increased police presence at the airport.
If something similar happens in the future, he added, police hope to be able to lockdown that facility.
A police release said around 1.45 am on April 17, Arkim “Sours” Quashie, 33, arrived in Trinidad on a flight from abroad. It said when he left the arrivals building, he got into a Hyundai Tucson with two other people. Minutes later, a silver Nissan Tiida pulled up alongside the Tucson and three men with high-powered weapons got out. The gunmen shot at the Tucson, got back into their car and drove off. A photo of one of the men who was with Quashie sitting on the floor of a customs officer’s booth was posted on Facebook and has since gone viral. Reports say he hid there after being shot. The injured man was identified as Jeremy Diaz. Quashie and Diaz, both from Maraval, were taken to Arima General Hospital where Quashie was pronounced dead and Diaz was warded in stable condition.
In an interview with Newsday, Benjamin said the airport and that situation are being closely monitored and he thanked officers for their hard work. He said the vehicle used in the attack was recovered and processed. He believes the suspects may have swapped vehicles after the shooting. He stressed the shooting was a targeted attack rather than a threat to the public.
Before the shooting, around 2.20 am, the Piarco Police Station received an anonymous tip about a suspicious vehicle parked at 4th Avenue, Oropune Gardens, Piarco.
Shortly after, reports of the shooting at the airport came in. Quashie was taken to hospital by officers of the Morvant Police Station. Benjamin told Newsday police had “immediately” taken action and he held a meeting with the heads of police operations and intelligence early that morning.
He said the matter is under investigation and is being handled by some of his top officers. He also confirmed communication with the head of airport security.
Benjamin explained while the police are addressing the situation from a policy perspective, there are already established incident command procedures in place to manage such events. He said this is not unfamiliar territory and proper frameworks are being followed.
Benjamin said police are assessing this incident while using existing risk management policies. He added the situation will continue to be monitored.
Benjamin indicated police have already begun analysing evidence, including surveillance footage and other relevant materials, which he said may help progress the investigation. He expressed optimism with the information gathered, saying there is a strong possibility of resolving the case in the near future. Benjamin said shootings at the airport are not common and described the attack as a bold act of desperation, saying, “This situation is one of opportunity.”
When asked about the perpetrator’s ability to carry out the killing and evad
