Contractor shot dead a month after surviving gun attack

More than a month after surviving a hit on his life, a welding contractor was gunned down at his San Fernando home on Tuesday night.

Police said 45-year-old Praimraj Heerah was standing in front of his home along the Naparima Mayaro Road in Cocoyea Village at 7 pm, when he was shot multiple times.

He was found bleeding on the ground and was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital, where he died at 7.56 pm.

Police recovered 11 spent shells and a projectile at the scene. At the time of the first shooting incident on October 21, Heerah was renting a house with his family at Ben Lomond Village, Williamsville. He was grazed by a bullet to his ear and toe.

In an interview with reporters then, Heerah explained that he had returned home at 8.20 pm after picking up his 19-year-old daughter from work. His daughter’s 20-year-old friend and his 20-year-old son were also in his X-trail. After his son opened the gate for him to drive into the yard, he heard him shouting, “Daddy, daddy.”

Heerah had said a gunman walked into the yard, passed his son and wife, who were on the front step, and began shooting at the van. His son ran back into the van. He recalled then, “All I could ah react when I hear the first shot, the second shot, the third one, I was still in the vehicle it was idling, I put in reverse… I thought I could ram him (suspect). When I mashed the ex (accelerator) I gone straight through the gate and went over the road.”

Back then, Heerah thanked God for saving their lives. Scared that they were marked for death, he asked for police protection.

However, South/Central ACP Wayne Mystar told Guardian Media yesterday that Heerah reported the shooting but did not officially request any police protection.

Investigators of the Homicide Bureau of Investigations Region III are looking into a property dispute but have not yet ascertained a motive for his murder.

When he was first shot in October, Heerah blamed the incident on an ongoing disagreement over property but relatives had denied this.

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