(Trinidad Express) A gang-related killing has upped Tobago’s murder toll to a record high of 20.
The murder was among five to have occurred between Wednesday night and yesterday evening.
The national murder toll is now 406, compared with 379 at this time last year.
The identified deceased are 47-year-old Avid Reece of Cocorite; 27-year-old Tyrell Alvarez of Sangre Grande; and 21-year-old Kerlon Thomas of Tobago.
The latest double homicide occurred in Laventille yesterday evening, but police did not reveal their identities up to last night.
Police said shortly after 5 p.m. three men were standing at Ovid Alley, Laventille, when they were approached by an unknown number of gunmen who opened fire on them.
All three men were shot. One of them was taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital, while two were killed on the scene. Police said the injured man remained in critical condition up to last night.
Officers from the Besson Street CID and Region One Homicide Bureau were on the scene up to yesterday evening.
Kerlon Thomas was killed in Tobago on Wednesday night in a mass shooting that has left five others injured.
His killing also pushed the murder toll on the sister island to 20—a record high.
According to police reports, around 7.20 p.m. a group of men were liming on Friendsfield Road in Scarborough when a white vehicle pulled up alongside them, and three men exited.
One man was said to be holding a rifle, while the other two were holding handguns. The suspects opened fire at the group before re-entering the car and driving away.
The incident left six persons between the ages of 21 and 27 nursing gunshot wounds.
The police and paramedics were notified and they were all taken to the Scarborough General Hospital.
However, Thomas was pronounced dead around 10 o’clock that night.
Four of the men have been listed in stable condition, while a 25-year-old man from Signal Hill in Tobago has been listed in a critical condition.
The vehicle involved in the shooting—a white Nissan AD wagon—was found abandoned on Belmont Road in Mason Hall.
It was said to be outfitted with false licence plates.
This latest shooting incident has been classed as gang-related, due to information received that at least two of the men had survived a fatal shooting on August 5, where Ezra Sylvester was killed in Scarborough.
It is suspected that the gunmen returned to “finish the job”, police said.
PC Noel is continuing enquiries.
Speaking yesterday during an interview on Tobago Updates, Snr Supt Rodhill Kirk called on the citizens of the island to help the police.
He said most of the recent killings have been linked to gang violence and all have similar patters.
As a result, citizens are being called on to work with the police and to report any suspicious activity.
“The communities have to play their role in this thing and not leave it entirely up to the police. Persons have to be vigilant in their areas, you also have to police your own space…
“While there are resources on the ground conducting patrols, the police cannot be everywhere, every time. So we highly depend on members of the community to partner and play a role in terms of when you see something, say something,” he said.
He said this was important because, from the information given to the police, gangs were moving about—with some even looking out for patrols.
So by the time officers arrive at a location, the suspects would have moved on. “This is why we need people to say what is happening. We have been getting some cooperation from members of the public but we need more,” Kirk said.
Avid Reece, aka “Blindy”, was shot dead in the gallery of his home along Upper Cocorite Terrace, Cocorite, on Wednesday night.
He was said to be a foreman at URP.
Police said that around 8.35 p.m., residents of the area heard loud explosions and, upon checking, they found Reece lying face-down, in a pool of blood, in the gallery of his home. He had been shot several times.
The police and Emergency Health Service were notified. A team of officers led by Insp Grand and Sgt Jack responded.
Crime scene officers recovered 27 spent 9mm shells at the location. Police have no official motive for the killing, as Reece was not known to them.
Tyrell Alvarez was fatally shot in his bedroom on Bailey Avenue, Northeastern Settlement, Sangre Grande, around 12.30 a.m. yesterday.
Relatives told investigators they were asleep at the home when they were awakened by gunshots. Upon checking, they found the 27-year-old lying on the floor of his bedroom.
He had been shot in the head.
The police and paramedics were notified, and the injured man was taken to the Sangre Grande Hospital.
He was pronounced dead around 2.17 a.m. yesterday.
Three spent 9mm shells were found at the scene of the shooting. A team of officers from the Eastern Division as well as the Homicide Bureau led by Insp Ramkissoon and Sgt Baksh responded.
Police have no motive for this killing.