Businessman defends himself; gunman left dead

An early morning attempt to steal from a local businessman ended badly for four would-be robbers; three of them had to flee for their lives, while the fourth was left lying cold on the ground, having lost his.{{more}}

Patrons of Chewee’s Chill and Grill in Villa were left stunned when four masked men turned up while the establishment was still open, and tried to rob its owner.

But owner Truman ‘Chewee’ Quashie was in no mood to give in to the perpetrators.

Quashie shot the would-be robber in the head with a .38 special when he [the gunman] brandished a shotgun, in a clear attempt to relieve the businessman of his hard-earned money.

The incident took place on Saturday, July 23, at approximately 3:10 am.

Speaking to SEARCHLIGHT, Quashie – a Diamond resident, but originally from Frenches – calmly recalled the events that transpired.

He explained that he had his back to the entrance and was watching the movie ‘Takers’ on television, when he heard a woman scream.

“When I looked out, I saw three armed men coming into the place. There was a fourth by the bathroom,” he said.

Quashie, who has been running the business for almost 11 years, said that he didn’t panic, because there was only one option for him, faced with such danger.

“I shot the first one right at the entry. The other three ran.”

As word spread of what had just transpired, party-goers from nearby establishments crowded around the bar to get a glimpse of the deceased, but were soon ushered away when police officers from the Criminal Investigation Department arrived to cordon off the area.

An eye witness, who prefers to remain anonymous, said that he was playing pool at the bar when the gunmen approached. However, only one came into the building – and he was armed with what appeared to be a shotgun.

“He screamed ‘get down’… kicked me… went by me… I heard a bang; looked around and saw the robber on [the] ground,” he claimed.

“He died pretty fast.”

When asked how he felt about having taken a life, Quashie nonchalantly replied that it was either his life or the gunman’s.

“I don’t have any qualms about it. It was a matter of choice, and he took a bad choice,” he asserted.

This is not the first time that Quashie has found himself in such a situation. In October 2004, two masked men also tried to rob him at gunpoint.

Despite his portly stature, he was able to outrun the gunmen – dodging at least five bullets – and get away without having to give them the establishment’s takings.

“They chased me as far as Sunset Shores,” he added.

And a year ago, thieves broke into the establishment when it was closed.

Commissioner of Police Keith Miller confirmed that although the three other suspects fled the scene on foot, they were subsequently caught and taken into custody.

The suspects had a rental vehicle awaiting their getaway; however, they were unable to use it, because the keys were in the pocket of the deceased gunman.

According to a reliable source, three men are assisting police with their investigations into the attempted robbery.

The deceased man, who at the time of the incident was disguised in a hat with fake dreadlocks, is presumed to be a Trinidadian national, and is only known to the police as Jamel.

Quashie said he recognised the deceased, as he had come in a few minutes earlier to purchase a beverage.

Now being hailed by many as a ‘hero’, Quashie warned other business owners to be on the alert, and to protect themselves by any means necessary.

“I don’t think they’re going to stop. It might slow them down… or they might get better at it,” he pointed out.

He also acknowledged the possibility that other members of the gang might seek revenge, but insisted that he is prepared for that.

“On Saturday, I had six [bullets]. Today, I made sure that I walked with 18.”

Opening hours are back to normal at Quashie’s establishment, but he is hoping that it doesn’t affect his patronage.

He re-opened that same night, and was pleased to see a few people turn out – “most of them curious!” he mused.

“I hope customers will feel safe coming back. When something like this happens, it practically kills business.”

Quashie also said that he is hoping that the Royal SVG Police Force will take this incident as a indicator that more of a police presence is needed on that strip, especially at weekends.

He explained that in the past, several other business places in that area have had problems with theft and robbery.

“This thing has been going on for quite some time,” he said.

Commissioner Miller said that Quashie shot the deceased with a licensed firearm, and to date no charges have been laid against him.

Although it is unfortunate that a life was lost in the process, this is a clear warning to would-be robbers and thieves – the business community is fighting back.