(Trinidad Express) Five killings in ten hours, including that of a 51-year-old mother of eight, between Friday night and Saturday morning, have pushed the country’s murder toll to 289 for the year so far.
Police reports on Saturday indicated the first killing took place around 10 o’clock on Friday night.
Kerwin Birchwood, 20, of Phase 1 Powder Magazine, Cocorite was liming with friends and playing cards near his home when neighbours heard gunshots.
After investigating, neighbours found him bleeding on the ground where he succumbed to his injuries.
Snr Supt David and Insp John of the Western Division visited the scene.
Around 1.30 a.m. an 18-year-old construction worker of Guayamare Main Road was stabbed in the chest and died following an argument with two of his neighbours.
Three and a half hours later Alma Noray was shot while sleeping on the ground of her Beverly Hills, Laventille apartment.
Thirty minutes later Ragoonath Sooknanan, 50, of Tumpuna Road, Tunapuna was found slumped mere metres away from his variety store.
According to police Sooknanan, the owner of Carnelia’s Variety Store was on his way to his business place around 5.30 a.m. when residents heard gunshots. Sooknanan aka “Bull” was found lying on the pavement.
He died at the scene.
The last murder occurred around 10.40 a.m. yesterday. The dead man was identified as Joel “Garlic Sauce” Bodkin, 29, a former cadet.
Police said Bodkin, of Beverly Hills, Laventille, was at a shop at Straker Village when a group of men approached and opened fire.
Bodkin died at the scene.
Mother of eight Noray slept on the ground of her Beverly Hills, Housing Development Corporation (HDC) apartment at Laventille for one reason: she hoped she would be safe from the bullets that frequently hit her home from the other side of the hill.
Her safe haven did not prevent her death yesterday after she was shot while sleeping on a mattress in her living room.
