The relatives of murdered robbery victim Shakil Stewart say they knew he would not give up his belongings without a fight.
Stewart, 29, was sitting in his black Nissan Sylphy outside his workplace at Associated Brands on Bhagoutie Trace, Barataria, at around 10.15 pm on Tuesday when he was shot.
A co-worker heard the gunshot and found him bleeding from a wound on the left side of his chest.
His car was missing.
The co-worker took Stewart to hospital, where Stewart was declared dead at around 10.27 pm.
Crime scene investigators were called in and found a spent 40-calibre shell.
Police said Stewart's car was found in Valencia on Wednesday morning.
Stewart had been a machine operator at Associated Brands for eight years.
Speaking with Newsday at Stewart's Upper Bushe Street, San Juan, home on Wednesday, his aunt Lycelli Gaspard said her nephew worked hard for his car and would do all he could to fight off an attacker.
"I can't see how someone can see your things and liking it more than you and then come to take it and kill you.
"They (the bandits) could have shot him in his foot if they wanted it so much.
"But then again, he wasn't the kind of person to just give up his things. He will fight. He would fight you to his last breath.
"He took a lot of pride in his car. Nobody else was allowed to drive that car, just him."
Gaspard said although Stewart was killed outside the compound, she hoped the company would take additional steps to secure the workplace.
Referring to an incident when the windscreen of Stewart's car was damaged in February, she said security cameras would have been useful then and could also have helped identify her nephew's killers.
Stewart's mother Judy Stewart said her grandsons, four and six, had been told about their father's death.
Speaking with Newsday legal officer for Associated Brands Jonathan Murray sympathised with the family's pain.
He said there were CCTV cameras at the site, but added, "The incident did happen outside of our compound, at a location that was well out of sight from our guard booth and these sorts of things.
"Having said that, we are taking all of the necessary steps to ensure our safety. We've put a little extra security.
"But like I said, this would have happened outside of our compound.
"I totally sympathise where the family is coming from, but I can assure you that we are doing our very best to ensure the safety and well-being of our employees."
Murray also said the company has sent its sympathy to Stewart's family and was willing to assist the police.
"We have already expressed our condolences and we've reached out to the family to provide any support that we can while they grieve this unimaginable loss.
"We are also co-operating with the law-enforcement authorities to provide any assistance that they need to aid in their investigation. But as you're aware, this is an ongoing investigation, so I can't give too much details.
"Our top priority is that of our employees and we are providing counselling and support services (to those) who might have been affected by the tragedy.
"Our company stands firm with both the community and our company in condemning all acts of violence."
The Homicide Bureau of Investigations Region II is continuing enquiries.
