Sunday, May 18, 2008

CONFLICTING REPORTS

There are so many conflicting sides to the story of the businessman who was shot at Charlotte Elias' home in St Ann's on Friday.

Rhondor Dowlat of the Newsday writes: "Police report that about 2.30pm, two men broke down the front door of Charlotte’s home and confronted her housekeeper. Sobrian, a Trinidadian who lives in Miami but runs a construction company at Saddle Road, Maraval, was a guest at Charlotte’s home. Police believe he was shot when he tried to help the housekeeper. Investigators said they found a gun which was registered to Sobrian in the house...".
(http://newsday.co.tt/crime_and_court/0,79073.html)

Now Joel Julien of the Express also has a story on the incident (http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article?id=161324505).
"Around 2.15 p.m. the 36-year-old real estate agent was fatally shot when he ran to the assistance of a female friend in trouble.
Police reports are that Subrian, from Bayshore, Westmoorings, went to visit the home of a friend at Belle Vue estate on Ariapita Road in St Ann's. Reports are that Subrian was in the yard of the house when the maid screamed for help. With his licensed glock 9mm in hand, Subrian ran into the house to help her."

So, the spelling of the victim's name, the time when the incident occurred, and the fact of whether the victim was a guest of Miss Elias or just dropped in to see her are different in the two reports.
And television reports also said he went to visit a friend in the area when he heard the commotion and went to the aid of the woman who raised the alarm.

We can't even find the story on the Guardian's website, as we are directed to the story of 'Laqtel in dire need of funds' (http://www.guardian.co.tt/news9.html) when we type in Charlotte Elias' name.
But what we did see was just this little bit:
"Businessman Damian Sobrian never knew what hit him. He was shot through his head when he confronted the gunmen at Charlotte’s home in St Ann’s yesterday,...".

Whoever wrote that piece was going for drama, but don't you think he saw the bandit about to shoot him? Joel Julien of the Express writes: "Police believe Subrian, a regular at the Chaguaramas rifle range, froze when he came face to face with the assailant. The gunman did not. Subrian was shot once to the head and died on the spot. The gunman ran off, with Subrian's gun in hand as well."

But didn't Rhondor Dowlat of the Newsday write that the victim's gun was found at the house by investigators?