On August 6th, 2025, two men were shot and killed by police during an encounter along Valencia Old Road, close to Toco Main Road. The deceased, identified as Stephon Lopez (also known as Stephen Perkins) and Deshawn Brown, were found inside a vehicle at the scene. They were transported to Sangre Grande Hospital, where they were pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Police recovered two firearms at the location of the incident.
Lopez had been linked to the murder of Kendell Smith, a 33-year-old prison officer who was shot dead in Samaroo Village, Arima, on January 11, 2023. Authorities indicated that Lopez was one of the principal assailants in the case, with connections to an inmate allegedly responsible for orchestrating the killing of Smith. The incident follows another police shooting earlier that day, where a suspected car thief was killed in Tacarigua. The investigations into both incidents are currently ongoing.
