tidings
Darren Bahaw
A gun attack at The Residence nightclub, at One Woodbrook Place, a stone’s throw from the Police Commissioner’s official residence, left one person dead and two others injured early Saturday.
Police said a gunman armed with an automatic weapon climbed over the perimeter wall and opened fire on a group of people sitting outside drinking at around 2.30am.
Businessman Nikhil Luthra, 34, of Pelican Road, Lange Park, Chaguanas, Lebanese building designer Elie Hajaly, 51, of Westmoorings and Roger Ramdeo, 34, of Princes Town were hit.
Luthra and Hajaly were shot in the head and Ramdeo was shot in the abdomen, police said.
Luthra, the managing director of Relate Technologies Ltd, which imported electronics, was also the co-founder of online grocer Blue Sky, which was launched in March 2020 with his business partner Brent Russell. He died of his injuries at Port of Spain General Hospital. Hajaly, who came to Trinidad and Tobago about ten years ago and has been involved in the design of several large-scale projects, is listed in critical condition. Ramdeo is stable.
In an interview Saturday at Luther’s home, where tents were being erected and arrangements were being made for a vigil, Russell said he was lucky to escape injury during the shooting.
He said that along with their girlfriends, he, his childhood friend and Ramdeo had gone out for pizza at a new business in Woodbrook and later ran into Hajaly, another friend they hadn’t seen in a while. .
The group later made their way to the Residence and took one of the outdoor seats near the entrance to One Woodbrook Place.
Russell said Luthra, Hajaly and Ramdeo were sitting with their backs to the road and he was facing them in an L-shaped cabana when he noticed a man wearing a red bandage over his face and a hood or hat as if standing on foot. tiptoe against the wall, showing what appeared to be a pistol and the shots.
“All I saw were his eyes,” he said.
“I pulled back when he shot. I was confused and disoriented by the noise.”
As the killer left, Russell said he saw Luther and Hajaly slumped in their seats with what appeared to be gunshot wounds to the head. He said Ramdeo was shot in the abdomen but the bullet missed his vital organs.
Russell recalled that the shooter was struggling to aim, as he was shorter than the wall and had the gun somewhat twisted in his hand. With the help of other people, Russell said, he managed to get the injured to the nearby St James Medical Center before being transferred by ambulance to hospital.
He described Luther, a former schoolmate of Presentation College, Chaguanas, as having “a keen business acumen” and they naturally went into business together, although each had their own enterprises. He said he was the only son of his parents and his younger sister was expected to return from abroad to help them cope with the tragedy.
He said Luthra was the co-founder of a charity – Share Goodness – which encouraged blood donation.
Deepak Lall, the group’s other co-founder, said in a Facebook post that he and his neighbor started the organization 12 years ago with one other person.
“We grew up in the sweeter days of TT when crime was minimal, we could play street cricket, throw over our neighbours’ walls to catch wind balls, playing Nintendo and exploring the community on our bikes in the evenings, our parents had no idea where we were until we returned. I wish your family strength and courage at this extremely difficult time.”
Police believe Hajaly was the target and received information about the designer’s gambling habit, which is being thoroughly investigated.
Investigators said security officers at One Woodbrook Place observed a Toyota Axio parked near the northwest entrance of The Residence and had the driver move over. A man, wearing a dark-colored hood and mask, got out of the car and drove away, police said.
The residence is frequented by some of the elite in society including politicians, businessmen and socialites, boasts high security and is surrounded by CCTV cameras.
Investigators suspect the shooting incident was motivated by revenge and anger toward Hajaly.
Eyewitnesses said the attacker first climbed onto the wall near the patio where the four men were sitting, before holding an automatic pistol on top of him and starting shooting.
Investigators believe CCTV footage can help them track down the attacker and the getaway driver.
Police said an off-duty officer who was at the nightclub also helped take the injured to the hospital and secured the crime scene before first responders arrived.
Lange Park Residents described Luther as a “good young guy whose business is now booming.”
News of Hajaly’s shooting sparked concern among the business elite, as he was advising on several projects and also on security at The Residence. Hajaly was brought to the country by a senior diplomat and was said to be an architect until his qualifications were challenged by the representative association, a senior industry player said on Saturday.
In a radio interview, Acting Police Commissioner McDonald Jacob complained about the use of an automatic weapon in the shooting and pleaded with the public to provide any useful information that would help solve the crime.
In an Instagram post, The Residence expressed its “deepest condolences to the families affected by last night’s tragic incident.”
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families at this time. Our priority remains the safety and well-being of our customers. This unfortunate incident is now the subject of a police investigation,” the post said.
