The family of a "PH" taxi driver who was killed on August 25 believe his death is a case of mistaken identity.
Nasa Hosein, 43, was working for hire in Bon Air Gardens, Arouca when gunmen shot at his car and killed him.
Speaking with media at the Forensic Science Centre in St James on August 26, a relative said Hosein was never involved in any gang activity.
“When people hear 'shooting,' the first thing they associate it with is 'gang.'
"He not in no gang and he don’t even lime. After he finish work he does go home.”
They say he was ambushed because: “It have somebody who living in the same area with a car just like his own and they are involved in gang activity.”
As Hosein’s wife sat sobbing in a nearby car, the relative said his family was having a difficult time dealing with the situation, as he had a two-year-old son to whom they have to explain his death.
“It real rough. It’s tough, because nobody ain't expect anything like that with him. He don’t interfere with nobody at all.”
Describing the crime situation as totally out of control, the relative said they never thought they would have to endure a situation like this.
“Watching it every day in the news and seeing it on Facebook is one thing, but then when it hits home, to know something like that happen… It is unbelievable what is going on in TT right now.”
He said he did not blame the police, as they were under too much pressure, adding they needed help from foreign authorities.
“They not able to cope with this. They need people who accustomed dealing with gangs to come and give them a handle on what going on, because it’s the gang thing that causing these (murders)."
He added that human resources were also an issue and would continue to be one until the number of murders was addressed.
“They have resources, but they short on manpower because of the amount of killing it having. As somebody get kill and police going to see about that, somebody else get killed. It’s one set of police doing the same thing, so it’s hard for them to get a grip on things.”
He said any effort by the police must also be mirrored by an increase in public confidence.
Police say assistance from the public is essential in solving crimes with senior officers often repeating the mantra: “If you see something, say something.”
But the relative said this is difficult, as many people are afraid to speak up.
“People afraid to go and testify, so even if somebody see something and they hold somebody, who is going to say, ‘That is the killer’?”
Police say the country's murder toll for the year now stands at 412 as of August 26, compared to 386 murders in the same period last year. There have been 63 murders so far this month.
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