A police constable and a prisoner were killed in a dramatic jailbreak at the Port of Spain prison on Friday, police officials said.
The jailbreak occurred at noon as the gate to prison was open to allow a prison vehicle to enter, reported the Jamaica Observer. Several armed attackers ran into the compound through the entrance gate and were involved in a shootout.
Security officials said three prisoners managed to escape during the shootout. A police constable was killed and another prison officer was injured in the shootout with escapees, reported Newsday.
One of three escapees was shot and killed by police. Two other escapees, identified as Christopher "Monster" Selby, 30, and Hassan Atwell, 41, remain at large, reported CNN.
The Trinidad and Tobago police have launched a manhunt for the two prison escapees, according to the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar assured that there is no need for panic and that the government has remained in full control of the situation.
"There is no uprising throughout the country. There is no other incident that is cause for concern...There is no need for a state of emergency at this time," she said, according to the Trinidad Express.
"During the past 24 hours the Agencies of the Ministry of National Security in conjunction with the National Operations Centre (NOC) have conducted a series of Road Blocks, Stop and Search Exercises and surgical strikes based on intelligence and information gathered in relation to (Friday's) events," Persad-Bissessar said on Saturday, according to the Trinidad Express.
"Those charged can expect to face the full weight of the law. I have every confidence in the ability of the country's national security agencies to bring this and other ongoing investigations to a resolution," she further stated.
