Still reeling from the murder of his son Raphael Gobin in December, Roger Gobin says he feels emotionally drained after the death of his second son Randy Gobin, after a purported shoot-out with police in Chaguanas on Tuesday night.
The younger Gobin, 20, was one of three men killed by police who responded to reports of a robbery at the Da Hua Supermarket in Longdenville.
The men fled the scene in a Toyota Axio but were chased by police. During the chase, the bandits shot at officers, who returned fire, killing three of the suspects.
During the chase, the driver of the car lost control and hit a dustbin before veering off the road.
As of yesterday afternoon, the identities of the other two suspects remained unconfirmed.
Speaking with Guardian Media at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, yesterday, Gobin’s father said he was shocked when a relative sent them a picture of his body with information suggesting he was one of the bandits who tried to rob the grocery. The picture and information, he said, were shared in a WhatsApp group on Tuesday night.
The elder Gobin said his son worked for the Forestry Division and as a part-time mechanic but also took private-hire jobs occasionally.
He urged other drivers to be mindful of the persons who hired them for jobs, as they could be lured into dangerous situations if they were unaware.
“Better they don’t do that (take hire jobs). For these young men with their vehicle out there, forget people if they want to hire them to go there. Don’t take no hire work.”
He added, “Police kill my son for nothing. Right now I don’t have no feeling after losing my two sons.”
Gobin’s father said he and his son lived in St Joseph, adding he did not recognise any of the other men who were killed in the confrontation with police, as they were likely from outside their community.
Recalling the murder of his younger son, 18-year-old Raphael, the elder Gobin said he awoke to hear gunshots on December, 23, 2024, and was told by a relative to stay away from the door. After waiting for some time, he went outside and saw his son’s body on the ground.
Gobin said he felt Raphael was not the intended target of the gunman.
“I have no money left, I just buried my last son. I have no money to bury him (Randy),” he added.
Guardian Media also spoke to another relative at the centre who accused the police of using excessive force in responding to the robbery suspects. He also urged young men with cars to heed the advice of Gobin’s father to avoid taking private jobs from strangers.
“Better they go on the road and work taxi rather than take hire work from people. Look at what happened. My nephew is dead... the police killed my nephew and up to now I can’t understand what’s going on. I can’t see my nephew’s body or anything.”
He said the family was disappointed in the lack of clear information and instructions from the police on the procedure for the autopsy, as the body was taken to the FSC yesterday.
The relative said while he was not convinced Gobin was involved in anything illegal, he still warned him to be mindful of the company he kept for his own safety.
The relatives said Gobin had intentions of opening a car wash and was already gifted some items to begin the business.
