00:00A woman police constable is now in critical condition at hospital after she was ambushed
00:04and shot multiple times at her Karani home.
00:08She just arrived from the airport, which is a mere few minutes away from her home.
00:14She is the third police officer to have been shot in the last two weeks following the murder
00:18of suspended police officer Sharlan Peterson on the weekend in Arema and the killing of
00:23suspended SRP Jerome Bleasdale outside a supermarket in Sawa.
00:27Mark Bassant tells the story on the latest shooting.
00:57The calculated moves of gunmen who ambushed and shot police constable Kiana Mahabir as
01:03she reversed into her premises along Hydraulic Road in Karani early this morning, just minutes
01:08after returning home from the United States.
01:11Investigators said that Mahabir was in the company of a female friend, having left the
01:15airport driving a Mazda SUV.
01:18She arrived home at around 1.35am.
01:22In this CCTV footage, Mahabir is seen driving forward before reversing into a yard as the
01:28electronic gate opens.
01:31Another black SUV that was trailing behind then emerges in the picture.
01:35One gunman exits the vehicle and runs into the garage that Mahabir had just parked in
01:43and it was then joined by another assailant who later comes out of the vehicle.
01:48Investigators say that one of the men tried to open the driver's door, which was locked
01:51before the gunman fired at least three shots at the front window, hitting Mahabir in the
01:56right hand, stomach and head.
01:59In seconds, the assailant dashed out of the compound and into the dark coloured SUV, hastily
02:05leaving the crime scene as captured by another CCTV camera along Hydraulic Road.
02:12Moments later, a female companion is seen driving her SUV as she rushes WPC Mahabir
02:17to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex.
02:21Investigators say they are working on several theories surrounding her shooting, including
02:24a carjacking attempt or an attempted robbery as well, but they say they have not ruled
02:29out other possibilities which they are looking into.
02:32They will also be analysing the CCTV footage that captured the crime from various angles.
02:39One senior investigator says that someone knew that Mahabir was returning home from
02:42New Jersey and was already laying in wait before falling her home, a trend that police
02:48say has happened in the past when victims are targeted when they leave the airport.
02:52Mahabir, who is attached to the police band, had only yesterday posted a social media video
02:57of her visit to Guitar Centre in New York and appeared jovial.
03:09According to comedian Nikki Crosby, Mahabir had performed with the police band at an event
03:13in Newark, New Jersey last Saturday night and couldn't wait to get back home, according
03:18to a post by Crosby.
03:20Today, Mahabir's relatives in a social media post gave some encouraging news about her
03:25condition and urged the public to cover her in prayer.
04:13Mark Basant, TV6 News.
04:15Tonight the police service is saying it stands with the family, friends and colleagues of
04:20PC Quiana Mahabir during this challenging time.
04:24In a statement, Police Commissioner Earla Harewood Christopher condemned the shooting.
04:28She describes it as jarring and says it's a reminder of the dangers officers face both
04:33on and off duty.
04:35She adds that the TTPS won't waver in tackling gun violence and removing illegal firearms
04:41from communities.
04:43Mahabir's shooting follows the recent fatal shootings of two other off-duty officers.
04:48The Police Commissioner says all three incidents are being actively investigated to ensure
04:53those responsible are swiftly apprehended.
04:58Brought to you by Accel Health TT, the official supplements of the CPS.
05:05Tonight we're asking, do you think that the TTPS has what it takes to remove illegal guns
05:10from the streets?
05:13To vote, text YES or NO to the number 7664886 or 7664 TV6.
05:19We'll have the results for you at the end of this newscast.
05:26President of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Social and Welfare Association, Inspector
05:30Gideon Dixon says while WPC Mahabir remains in a critical but stable condition, he has
05:37sent strong messages to criminals that the police will not be daunted in their efforts
05:42to capture lawbreakers.
05:43It becomes a more sad day when the persons who are charged with protecting the law abiding
05:53and keeping us safe are being attacked at a level of frequency.
05:57So we are looking at within the last two weeks or so, we have at least two murders of officers
06:04and now this with a woman police.
06:07It is one thing to the next thing.
06:14We are not daunted.
06:16The police service is not daunted.
06:17We might be low right now in terms of how things are coming at the rate at which it
06:23is coming at, but we are not daunted.
06:26This must be solved.
06:28There should be sufficient footage from the airport to where the incident would have occurred.
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