PC sues state for lack of bulletproof equipment after being shot during raid

A police officer who was shot in the line of duty is suing the state for failing to provide him with full ballistic protection equipment.

Through his lawyers, Saira Lakhan and Kristian Dass of Magnus Attorney At Law Firm, PC Andile Ansar Mohammed filed the claim against the Attorney General.

He was shot in the leg on October 7, 2020, during a raid on a property on St John Street, Chaguanas.

The officer argues that the state was negligent in failing to provide him with full ballistic personal protective equipment, including knee protection, despite the known risks associated with armed confrontation before he was assigned to accompany the TTPS gang unit to conduct a to execute the order. on the day he was injured.

PC Mohammed further claimed that he was only issued a ballistic vest on the day of the incident.

However, no ballistic shin guards, knee pads, elbow pads, multi-protection ballistic body shields, ballistic helmets, or other ballistic protective equipment were available for his use or for the other police officers assigned to the gang unit that day.

The officer said he was even in a position where he had to use his money to buy protective equipment online for his safety as he was unable to obtain PPE.

PC Mohammed was assigned to the TTPS Central Division Robbery Squad, but on the day of the incident he was requested to accompany police officers from the TTPS Gang Unit/TTPS Criminal Gang and Intelligence Unit on a warrant to the St John Street property.

According to police intelligence, one of the suspects was Hispanic and there were illegal firearms and ammunition on the property and there may have been undocumented Spanish-speaking people or victims of human trafficking.

PC Mohammed was asked to assist as he spoke fluent Spanish and could have helped with the communication barrier.

When PC Mohammed and other officers arrived at the address they were met with gunfire and returned fire. PC Mohammed was shot in the right leg and another officer was shot in the abdomen.

At the time of the incident, he had eight years of service.

Since the incident, Mohammed claimed that he has endured several years of pain and suffering in his right calf and still experiences moderate pain based on his activities.

—SASCHA WILSON

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