THE family of Visham Ryan Lochan, who was fatally shot by police along with Shumba James last Friday, has called for an independent investigation into the incident.

Fazool Mohammed, a relative of the wife of Lochan, who said he considered Lochan “a brother”, would like the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) to investigate the shooting which claimed the two lives.

Mohammed told the Express yesterday that the Lochan family was in anguish over the death of Lochan, who was the father to a three-year-old boy.

James, 40, and Visham Ryan Lochan, 34, were sitting in Lochan’s Nissa Tiida near B’s Sports Bar in their village of St Mary’s, Moruga, when they were approached around 10 a.m. by Southern Division Task Force officers.

Assistant Commissioner of Police for the Southern and Southwestern Police Division Wayne Mystar said there was an exchange of gunfire and police recovered two pistols in the car.

James and Lochan were struck several times, placed in the police vehicle, and taken to the Princes Town District Health Facility where they were pronounced dead.

James was the first person against whom a detention order was made during the recent state of emergency (SoE) and who police said was linked to several murders, extortion, and gun-running.

“We are looking for justice,” said Mohammed. “I want to reach the PCA on this. Whoever did the shooting and killed them, it wasn’t right.”

Mohammed said that hours after the fatal shootings, a team of police officers came to Lochan’s house.

“The police came in the afternoon and said they were going to search but they did not do it. Another jeep pulled up with more senior officers and told that first one to leave. They didn’t stay long. I don’t know what they are trying to cook up. My two brothers are gone. Somebody has to answer for that. I want justice for their deaths,” said Mohammed.

The relative said that Lochan’s son has been asking for his father, but other relatives are comforting him.

“His son does not know too much. He is asking for him but we are keeping him distracted as he has a lot of people around. He is not getting the feeling yet,” said Mohammed.

The post-mortems are expected to be done this week at the Forensic Science Centre in Federation Park.

TTPS: Independent probe

The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) in a media release last Friday said the three separate incidents in which four men were shot dead by officers on Friday will be fully and independently investigated.

James, 40, and Lochan, 34, were two of four people fatally shot by the police on Friday. Also shot dead were Ronnel Marcelle during a confrontation in Egypt, Bethel, Tobago, and Devon Sotio, 44, of Clifton Street, East Dry River, Port of Spain, in Longdenville, in unrelated incidents.

Police have killed 30 people for the year so far.

DCP Intelligence and Investigations Suzette Martin said that the TTPS acknowledged the public concern surrounding three fatal police-involved shootings that occurred on Friday, and extended condolences to the families affected.

“At the same time, the TTPS reaffirms our duty to maintain law and order, often in rapidly evolving and dangerous situations. We assure the public that each incident will be subject to a full, transparent and independent investigation to ensure accountability and to maintain trust in the police service,” the release stated.

The media statement gave information regarding the St Mary’s Village, Moruga, shooting, stating that officers of the Southern Division Task Force responded to information concerning two armed men in a vehicle at St Mary’s Village, Moruga.

“Upon approaching the vehicle, officers instructed the driver and passenger to turn the window glass down. The passenger allegedly exited the vehicle, pointed a firearm at the officers, and fired in their direction. Officers, seeing the immediate threat to their lives, discharged their service firearms, injuring the man. The driver subsequently exited the vehicle and also allegedly fired at the officers, resulting in officers returning fire. Both assailants were transported to the Princes Town Health Facility, where they were pronounced dead. One of the deceased was Shumba James, who was known to the police. The other man killed by police was Visham Ryan Lochan, the driver of the car James was in. Two firearms—a pistol and a revolver—were recovered at the scene,’ the police statement said.