Valencia Police are currently on the scene of a shooting incident that occurred this morning at a primary school in the area that has left a 30-year-old man nursing gunshot wounds.

According to the TTPS:

Detectives are currently searching for a lone suspect who escaped from the scene through a nearby cemetery. No students or staff were injured during the incident and school has been dismissed for the day.

The Victim and Witness Support Unit of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service is currently partnering with local police as well as the school to provide psychosocial support to all affected in the incident. Meanwhile, according to Ministry of Education (MoE) officials, personnel from its Student Support Services were called in to engage the students today and will return tomorrow to provide support, especially those that heard the shots, with the necessary support mechanisms.

The MoE has also indicated that teachers will receive support from Employee Assistance Programme.

According to police reports, at 8.05 am on June 5th, a 30-year-old man dropped off his son at the school when he observed a man known to him running towards him on the roadway. Detectives learned that the parent retreated unto the compound of the school where he was pursued by an armed man who allegedly fired several shots in his direction.

He later felt a burning sensation to his right arm. The suspect then escaped. A report of Shooting with Intent was made to the Valencia Police Post who responded to the scene and police also conveyed the injured man to seek medical treatment.

Investigations are ongoing.