Murder Suspect Shot Dead After Allegedly Chopping Officers Arm During Arrest

A murder suspect has been shot dead after he allegedly attacked and chopped an arm of a police officer during his arrest.

According to a police report, officers from the Northern Division and the Homicide Bureau of Investigations Region II on Thursday, July 22, went to a home at the Wharf Trace, in St Joseph of Trinidad and Tobago to arrest Ricardo Ramsumair aka Dan.

The 31-year-old was wanted for the murder of Douglas Ellie in St Augustine, which occurred on October 19, 2020.

During the arrest, Ramsumair allegedly attacked and chopped an arm of a MOPS officer, identified as PC Persad.

Following the attack, another officer of the MOPS team opened fire at the suspect from his rifle. The suspect was wounded and he along with the injured officer was rushed to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex for medical attention.

The suspect was pronounced dead at the hospital. The wounded officer was being treated for his injuries, however, no updates were available about his current condition.

Meanwhile, the suspect’s family claims Ramsumair was ambushed inside of his house and shot and killed by the police. Ramsumair’s common-law wife Shakira John alleged that the police shot him as he walked out of the bedroom.

"The police came in and ransacked the house. They said they were looking for a red mobile cellphone but they got none and Dan had no cellphone as the police had taken his away from him about two months ago," she said.

"As Dan walked out of the bedroom one of the officers shot him and he fell on another officer and with the fall the couch broke down with him on top of the police. There was no chopping. Dan did not chop any police officer. He was not armed with anything," she added.

Ramsumair’s mother, Lydia, described her son as a kind and loving individual and said the police have left his five children without a father.

Senior officials visited the scene and are investigating the incident.