“WHY Father, why?”
This was the cry of anguish from a relative of Cpl Anuska Eversley who was shot dead while on duty at the San Fernando Municipal Police Station early yesterday, in an attack that saw the theft of more than 60 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition from the station’s strong room.
The murder and theft of the firearms and ammunition shocked her colleagues, family and the public.
At the scene yesterday, distraught family members and her colleagues wept and looked on as officers cordoned off the area and began their investigations.
Police officials have confirmed the officer was killed while performing her duties.
Eversley, 38, an acting corporal attached to the Trinidad and Tobago Municipal Police Service (TTMPS), was found dead on a mattress in a dormitory of the station.
Eversley, who had about 15 years’ service, was last seen alive around 11 p.m. on Saturday in the charge room area of the station at King’s Wharf, Lady Hailes Avenue.
She was found dead around 4.40 a.m. yesterday by one of her colleagues who returned to the charge room area and found it in darkness.
After switching on the lights, he noticed what appeared to be blood coming from the corporal quarters, and that the strong room was open.
Eversley was found shot in the neck, and her body—barely clothed—was found on a mattress in the dormitory. Further checks found that a quantity of firearms, including shotguns, pistols and a rifle, along with ammunition, were missing.
Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro led several teams of police officers at the scene. Homicide Region III officers and senior investigators, including Senior Superintendent Sean Dhilpaul, Superintendent Steve Persad, ASP Anil Maharaj and others responded, and the area was cordoned off.
Crime scene investigators processed the scene, collecting evidence and doing fingerprint analysis.
The station remains under lockdown as investigations continue.
Cop held
At a TTPS news conference at Southern Division headquarters in San Fernando hours after the killing and theft of the firearms, Guevarro said the matter was being treated as a top priority.
A police officer was detained hours after the shocking discovery, and is assisting police in the investigations, a senior officer told the Express later yesterday. Guevarro said all the officers at the municipal police station who were on duty with Eversley would be interviewed and be required to give a statement.
Asked earlier about the possibility of a police officer involved in the incident, Guevarro said, “I would be very disheartened that an officer, sworn to protect the rights of citizens and uphold the laws of Trinidad and Tobago, could do something so heinous to one of his officers. That would be very disheartening.”
He said an inventory of the missing items was being done, but police sources stated that 52 Glock pistols, six shotguns, four MPX-type firearms, and more than 4,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition were taken from the facility at King’s Wharf.
Several units, including the Southern Division CID, Homicide, tactical units from the Inter-Agency Task Force and Multi-Option Police section, operational arms from the Southern Division Task Force, Coastal and Air support unit, and several other agencies were engaged, as he said, “a large amount of weapons have been stolen. “At this stage there is no information to suggest that this was a targeted attack against law enforcement by any outside party. No other details, matter being investigated,” he said.
Asked if he had a message to the criminals, Guevarro said, “Let them know that (of) the resolve of the law enforcement, not just the TTPS or the municipal police. We will not sit idly by and allow this sweet country of Trinidad and Tobago to be overrun by any criminality behaviour. We have less than 500 serious criminals in this country holding 1.4 million persons to ransom; we will not allow that to happen, rest assured.”
Asked about the security breach at the police station, he responded, “All of that will be revealed in this investigation. We will treat this as a learning moment.”
Guevarro said details of how the crime occurred were still being investigated, and declined to say if security camera footage formed part of the investigations.
Other officers at station
Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Municipal Police Surrendra Sagramsingh said “about seven individuals” were detailed for duty for the shift from Saturday night into yesterday morning.
Sagramsingh said, “However, persons were deployed to other substations. From preliminary checks there would have been about five thereabout. I can’t say the exact figure. As we proceed with the investigation, we can update on the exact figure at the time.”
Sagramsingh said Eversley was not alone at the police station when she was killed, and other officers were on the premises.
Guevarro said he did not want to divulge too much information about the matter as investigations were continuing. Asked what assurances he could give the public who have expressed fear about the crime situation, the CoP said, “The message I want to give to the public is that this is a one-off situation, one that regrettably took place and resulted in a loss of life. I want to reassure the public that the State security apparatus is working and it is strong. And persons will be held accountable for what took place last night into this morning at the Municipal Police Department.”
He stressed, “There is no evidence that this was a targeted attack against law enforcement. This was a one-off type incident. I do not think there is any need to cause any undue panic in the public about (talk of) curfew and increasing whatever with the (state of emergency). The current powers that are given to the police under the SoE are working.”
Guevarro extended condolences to the family, loved ones and colleagues of the slain police officer.
“Cpl Eversley left her home yesterday evening and came out to serve the members of the public as a municipal police officer. She lost her life while on duty. She had parents and she had children. I urge us all to take cognisance of the fact that police officers make the ultimate sacrifice. She made the ultimate sacrifice last night, in that she was killed while protecting members of the public,” he said.
