Ex-convict shot dead by police in Morvant

More than a year after being released from prison for murder, Nigel "Dufu" Mayers was shot and killed in a confrontation with members of the Special Operations Response Team (SORT) at his Morvant home early on Thursday morning.

Police said SORT officers went to Mayers' Redwood Street home at around 6.30 am to search for guns and ammunition.

He shot at them and they shot back, hitting him several times.

Police took him to the Port of Spain General Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

An AK-47 assault rifle with a sniper scope and several explosives were found at the house. Up until 8 am police were still there looking for more explosives which they suspect were hidden around the house.

The exercise was led by Snr Supt Phillip of the Northeastern Division, Sgts Hernandez and Metivier of the SORT and DCP Jayson Forde.

Last May, Mayers was released from prison after spending almost a decade in jail for the November 2010 murder of Morvant shopkeeper Shirley Thomas.

In 2004, Mayers and another man, Dexter Burnett, were shot by Tobago police who were following up reports of a robbery. Bernard died in that shootout.

Mayers won a lawsuit against the police in 2011, when Justice Amrika Tiwary-Reddy ruled they had used excessive and unreasonable force when they confronted the men.