3 years after Carenage schoolgirl’s fatal shooting – Cops want coroner’s inquest

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

SHOT DEAD: Schoolgirl Naomi Nelson, 14, shot dead last night in Big Yard, Carenage.

THREE years after Naomi Nelson was shot in the back of the head, in a police-involved shooting incident, investigators could not determine who shot her and have recommended the matter be sent for a Coroner’s inquest.

Nelson was killed on May 3, 2019. She was shot during a confrontation between police and gunmen at Big Yard, Carenage.

Naomi was on her way to buy food when the incident happened. Two men, Kareem “Baldwin” Roberts, 27, and Keron “Frosty” Eve, 30, were also shot dead in the shootout. Three others were charged with gun-related offences including shooting at the police

Police have claimed responsibility for Roberts and Eve’s deaths but said Nelson was killed by bullets fired by either of the two men or by people affiliated to them.

Police said they went to the area in an unmarked car and were shot at, forcing them to return fire. One officer was grazed in the shooting and had a bullet stuck in his bullet proof vest.

The inquest, whenever it is called, will allow a coroner to examine all the evidence presented and make a determination on if any criminal charges can be laid and if so against whom.

The Police Complaints Authority (PCA) is yet to complete its investigation in the matter as it awaits the final police file.

The matter was being investigated by the Professional Standards Bureau (PSB). Lead investigator, ACP Ramnarine Samaroo, who is awaiting Parliament’s approval on his Police Service Commission (PSC) nomination for the post of Deputy Commissioner of Police, told Newsday the ballistic tests were done and the results were inconclusive.

He said officials at the Forensic Science Centre returned to the scene of the shooting and mapped out what took place but could not conclusively say whether Nelson was killed by police or gunmen, hence the need for a Coroner’s inquest.

Samaroo, when asked if the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) gave advice for the inquest, said inquests can be addressed without the DPP’s involvement. He added that he completed the investigation about a year ago and only last week, the legal department completed its review of his file and made the recommendation.

The next step will be for the case file to be sent to the court for a coroner to be appointed.

Samaroo, a past court prosecutor, said the coroner can call witnesses to clarify something after reading the file or can make a determination, without hearing any witnesses, after reading said file.

He said the main delay in the investigation was the completion of the certificate of analysis which did not say who shot Nelson. He added that both police and the men who shot at them used nine-millimetre calibre weapons.

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