Residents of Marabella cowered in their homes on Thursday night, as three masked men ran up and down their street, riddling the area with rapid gunfire, leaving two men dead and a third wounded. The chaos erupted around 8.15 pm, while most residents of St James Street were watching television. A few young persons who were liming on a dark street corner began running for their lives as the killers, who wore masks and dark clothing, unleashed their reign of terror.
When the gunfire cleared, Sheldon Dandred, 32, of Battoo Avenue, and Ezekiel Joseph, 30, of Reform Village, Gasparillo, lay dead. Dandred was shot twice to the head. His face was barely recognisable. Joseph was shot at point-blank range. The bullets punctured his heart. A third man, Darwin Murray, of Church Street, Marabella, was shot in the foot. He is warded in a stable condition at San Fernando General Hospital.
Police believe the men came to kill Joseph, a known marijuana dealer. Before his death, Joseph was warned that there was a price on his head. But Dandred, who was said to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, died innocently, investigators said. A witness, who requested anonymity, said he was at home when he heard the volley of gunfire, from an automatic sub-machine gun.
"My wife told me to pull in the doors quickly, that gunmen were outside," the source said. He said when he peeped out, he saw Dandred and Joseph running. "I could not see who was shooting but I saw the two men running...One of them fell down and got up again and continued running," the witness said. "He hit a wall, he make a spin and then he fell down under a flower tree. The next one collapsed in the drain. It was frightening." The witness said the men also fired at people who were liming at a nearby parlour.
"We heard the man crying and we called in the ambulance...By that time, the gunmen had already fled," the witness added. Police said a grey Lancer was spotted leaving the area. An all-points bulletin was issued for for the car. The bodies were viewed by District Medical Officer Dr Klem Ragobar who ordered them removed to the Forensic Science Centre. Meanwhile, Joseph's relatives said he knew he was about to die.
Stepdaughter Michelle De Verteuil said before the shooting, Joseph ransacked the house, saying he was looking for a tracking bug which was planted in his house. "He unscrewed the speakers, overturned everything...He was like a mad man," she said. "He then kissed my brothers and sisters and said thanks for looking out for him. He said he was going to die."
Dandred's mother, Theresa Charles, said her son was on his way home. She said Dandred often passed through a shortcut close to the parlour to get home. She said he was still wearing his work clothes and helmet when he was killed. Charles said Dandred recently bought a 42-inch television set and was looking forward to spending Christmas with the family. "The same gun that they use to kill my son will turn back on them...They must put down the gun and stop killing innocent people," she said. Up to late yesterday, no arrests were made. San Fernando Homicide officers are continuing investigations.
BELOW:
Ezekiel Joseph,
Sheldon Dandred,
Theresa Charles, mother of Sheldon Dandred, is restrained by a relative at the crime scene.
