A 23-year-old man was shot dead by an off-duty police officer, moments after the suspect tried to rob a man of his car at Chase Village, Chaguanas early Saturday.

The unidentified suspect was pronounced dead on arrival at the Chaguanas health facility at around 12.50 am on Saturday.

A police report said the victim, Kevin Mahabir, was in the driver’s seat of his silver Nissan Tiida car parked at Samkiss Bar on the Southern Main Road in Chase Village at around 12.20 am on Saturday.

A man, armed with a gun, approached and announced a robbery.

The victim, also from Chase Village, reported to the police that he refused to hand over the car keys, and during a struggle, the suspect fired two shots hitting the driver on the leg.

Two police officers were at the bar with some friends celebrating a birthday and one of them saw the suspect, who was slim built, wearing a grey hoodie and blue three-quarter pants, approaching the car.

The officer reported that he saw the suspect draw a gun and fired two shots at the victim and in response drew his service-issued pistol and shouted, "Police!"

The suspect turned and pointed the gun at the officer, the report said and the officer discharged several rounds hitting the suspect.

The suspect fell to the ground, and a revolver fell from his hand.

Freeport police and emergency personnel were alerted.

PC Tull and WPC Horsford responded and took the suspect to the Chaguanas Health Facility.

The driver was also taken to the facility. He was treated and discharged, but the suspect was declared dead on arrival.

Snr Supt Pierre, W/Sgt Dickson, together with PCs Ramdial, Naipaul, and other police from the Central Division, visited the scene.

Investigations are ongoing.

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