(Trinidad Express) – Known to residents of Covigne Road, Diego Martin, as “Wounded Soul”, reputed gang leader Keron Charles and his cousin, Kendall “Pooh Bear” Charles, were killed by police gunfire early on Wednesday.

Just before 6 am, moments before the sun rose, gunfire lit up the hills of Covigne. When the shooting stopped, the two cousins were taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital where they were pronounced dead.

“Wounded Soul” was said to be leader of the Covigne Road gang, his death taking place just over one day after another gang leader, Sean “Bill” Francis, was shot dead near his home in Vegas, Morvant.

Police said the two cousins opened fire on officers who were making their way up a hill off Spaniol Road, Covigne, during a joint police and army exercise in the area. The officers reportedly returned fire, felling the two men in a wooden house believed to be their hideout.

“Wounded” was said to have been clad in a full army camouflage outfit, with his jacket confirmed to be official Trinidad and Tobago Regiment apparel. The outfit, along with two firearms, a semi-automatic pistol and a revolver, was recovered.

While one relative of Keron Charles admitted the youngster was involved in criminal activity, another relative disputed the police story, stopping just short of proclaiming his innocence. Police said he was linked to the January 30 murder of Akiel Bernard and was wanted on several other warrants. Several residents in the area had also connected him to criminal activity in the area.

Similarly, his cousin Kendall was also said to have outstanding warrants for robbery and firearm possession.

Following the shoot-out, officers continued the exercise within the area, which included raids along Factory Road and Dillon Street. The area had been recently plagued by gang violence, sparked by tensions between two religious sects in the area. Eleven people have been murdered in the area for the year. Fifteen men, in the age range 20 to 32 were arrested following the raid and were expected to be placed on identification parades for various offences.

Five thousand fully grown marijuana trees were destroyed during the raid, while three kilos of marijuana and 50 grammes of cocaine were reportedly seized in the exercise.