By DARRYL HEERALAL, Express TT

Attempts were made to kill three police officers, while a man was shot to death in what is believed to be a drug-related murder—all within three hours on Wednesday night, and all in the east Port of Spain area.

In one incident, a gunman armed with an AK-47 assault rifle shot at Sgt Randolph Boyce, and, in the other shooting, a man with a sawed-off shotgun fired at PCs John F Kennedy and Neil "Darkie" James.

Around 8 p.m., Boyce was standing next to a car on Bassillon Street and speaking to a man when he was shot at. The police officer said he saw the man walking towards him with the assault rifle strung across his shoulder.

On seeing Boyce, the gunman reportedly shouted, "Don't move! Don't move!" before opening fire. Boyce, who is attached to the Besson Street Police Station, dived behind his car and escaped the bullets. The trunk of the vehicle was hit four times. Police recovered four 5.56 calibre bullets near the car and several bullet casings similar to those found at the scene of a shooting at Harpe Place that took place earlier that evening. No one was injured in that incident.

Boyce, a police officer for the past 25 years, was at work yesterday.

The other shooting involving the police took place at around 9.15 p.m. when a gunman followed PC Kennedy to a business place owned by the wife of PC James on Faure Street, which is just off George Street. James is the godfather of Kennedy's son who turned 13 yesterday. The police officer had gone to collect the boy's birthday gift.

James was standing behind the counter of the shop while Kennedy was on the other side when the gunman attacked. The bullet narrowly missed Kennedy's head but his army-style camouflage hat was blown away. James was not so lucky as four pellets hit him in the face. The gunman escaped on foot.

At around 10.30 p.m. Robbie Morris, 42, was shot to death at Point Pleasant Park, Block 22, Trou Macaque, Laventille.

Police said Morris was sitting in his Lancer motor car near his home when a gunman walked up and fired several shots.

Morris, the 147th murder victim of the year, died on the spot.

There were 151 murders last year, a record number for Trinidad and Tobago.

Investigators recovered a large quantity of marijuana in the dead man's car.

Investigations are continuing.