RHONDOR DOWLAT-ROSTANT
The young man who was killed by security officers of the National Maintenance Training Security Company (MTS) at the Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) compound in Port-of-Spain last Wednesday during the power outage has been identified as 14-year-old Jael Hyles.
Hyles, police said was one of the people who was reported missing earlier this month.
Police added that the teen was identified by his parents.
According to a police report, the MTS security officers were at the PTSC stores in City Gate at about 10:30 pm when they saw a flashlight shining and three men jumping over a wall.
The officers were allegedly shot at by the men as they approached the wall forcing them to return fire. One of the men was shot and slumped on the ground where he died. His accomplices, police said, managed to escape.
Guardian Media was told that last Wednesday night’s attempt was the second attempt this week. The first attempt was on Tuesday night.
Two weeks ago bandits struck at the said compound and allegedly tied up the MTS security officers and successfully stole an undisclosed amount of sanitisers and industrial cables.
In the aftermath of that first incident, the chairman of the Estate Police Association MTS Branch Board Stefan Small called on PTSC to implement the recommendations of the Security department at MTS “as it pertains to the safety and security of the PTSC Compound at Port-of-Spain.”
“Two officers from MTS were accosted by armed criminals, tied up and the premises was robbed of sanitisers and industrial cables etc. The Estate Police Association is stating that the lighting and other proper physical infrastructure is inadequate for such a large compound especially when one considers that what’s stored at the compound is state property,” Small added.
With respect to Wednesday’s incident, MTS confirmed that there was an incident where a “group of armed men illegally entered (broke into) the compound and fired on security officers when confronted. The security officers returned fire and one of the assailants was shot.”
“The company is not in a position to give any additional details on this matter as it is currently under investigation by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service,” MTS added.
It however noted that it is fully cooperating with police officers in their investigations and reassures the public that “the company always makes the safety and security of its employees and clients its number one priority.”
MTS said it will provide trauma counselling and evaluation to all employees involved.
PTSC who responded to the incident advised that the matter is under investigation by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) and “remains committed to the safety of both our employees and commuters.”
