Acting Commissioner of Prisons Deopersad Ramoutar last evening confirmed that one of his officers had been killed during a gun attack in Arima.

Police said Kendell Smith, who is assigned to the Maximum Security Prison in Arouca, and another person were liming at a house in Samaroo Village, Arima, at 6 pm, when a white Nissan AD Wagon stopped in front. Two occupants armed with firearms got out the vehicle and opened fire on them. The gunmen then returned to the vehicle and escaped.

Both victims were taken to the Arima Hospital by residents from the community, where Smith was subsequently declared dead. The other victim was said to be nursing gunshot wounds to his leg.

A motive is yet to be established for the shooting.

Investigations are continuing.