Posted on 02/02/2014 7:03:11 PM PST by marktwain
A JUSTICE of the Peace turned the tables on a criminal, shooting and killing an unidentified man who, armed with a knife, forced his way into the JP’s St James home during the early morning hours yesterday.
Police reported at about 5 am, Justice of the Peace Bonnie Asgar Ali, who lives at the corner of Bombay Street and Kathleen Street in St James, was awakened by the sound of the front door of his home being violently shaken. Ali quickly grabbed his licensed firearm and cautiously made his way toward the front door.
At the same time, the door was forced open by a man brandishing a knife. As the man crossed the threshold, Asgar Ali fired a shot at the intruder who dropped the knife, clutched his stomach and slumped to the ground in the living room.
Keeping his firearm still trained on the fallen intruder, the JP contacted the St James police and then the Emergency Health Services (EHS) asking that an ambulance be despatched to his home.
But before the police and ambulance could arrive, sources said, the intruder who was wearing a khaki coloured short pants and grey jersey, died on the living room floor.
A party of officers from the Western Division and Homicide Bureau of Investigations led by Senior Superintendent Ishmael David, Inspector Henry Dan and Cpl Farrell visited the scene.
Speaking with members of the media yesterday, Asgar Ali said he was extremely sorry that a life was lost, but said he was in fear for his own life and as such, took measures to safeguard himself when his front door was forced open and the man entered his house.
“It is a sad thing what I did. But I didn’t invite him by me. I don’t know this man who came into my house. I had to protect myself. I don’t want to say anymore right now because this matter is currently in the police’s hands,” Asgar Ali said.
His neighbours however praised the JP’s actions. “There have been a lot of robberies and one or two rapes in this area over the past six months. Things are taking place here which are not reported in the media.
Listen, given the number of killings we’ve had in the first days of this year, you can’t take any chances. Right now, as far as I am concerned, that man is a hero,” said a resident who gave his name only as “Jeff”.
Police sources told Newsday that a person who strongly resembled the deceased had been captured on CCTV cameras breaking into and robbing several places in Western Division.
Despite this, up to press time they had no identity for the deceased man and as a result, police are calling on members of the public to assist them in identifying the dead man. Investigations are continuing.
I see that the reporter did what ours do, i.e., refer to the gun as a “licensed firearm.” This may be correct in a few states, but it’s an unused term in the states I have lived in. It’s simply a gun, and it’s not “licensed.”
I believe that it is a reasonable description in Trinidad and Tobago. That nation has quite nasty restrictions on the ownership or arms, as I recall.
I see no one has said it yet, and I will not be the one to say, do not bring a knife to a gunfight. I will not say it, I simply will not say that :-)
That could be as a result of it's association to Britain; I mean left hand driving and all. It always deterred me to drive there afraid that instinctively I would default to the right side of the road which of course would be the wrong side. Of course, it has also been colonized by Spain and France although, by the looks of it, it's now a province of India. I mean, Bombay Street? Really? In fact, there was this Indian girl who...but I digress...
I guess the perp never heard Obama’s advise about “If they bring a knife to a fight, you bring a gun”.
He should have paid more attention to our president. Yeah, right!
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