In a brazen hit yesterday gunmen pumped several bullets from high powered rifles into a 30-year-old man, causing his body to catch on fire outside Bright Ideas at Pamela's Mall, Marabella. In their quest to kill Anthon "Jim" Jones, 25, police said they also shot and killed an innocent passer-by, mother of four Sandra Henry, 48, of Dallas Avenue, Cocoyea. The shooting, which occurred around 11 am, sent shoppers and pedestrians scampering for safety. The sounds of gunfire echoed throughout the nearby market and several parts of Marabella.
Police said AK47 and/or Galil assault rifles were used to carry out the killings. Police believe Jones was the target of last Thursday's double shooting at St James Street, Marabella, which claimed the lives of Sheldon Dandrade, 32, and Ezekiel Joseph, 30. Jones, who was released on $175,000 bail last week on an arms and ammunition charges after spending three months in prison, also lived at St James Street. Police believe the gunmen followed Jones after he attended the San Fernando Magistrates Court. According to eyewitnesses, as Jones emerged from a taxi and was walking in front of the mall a white SUV pulled up. Two men with bandanas on their faces alighted and opened fire on him.
At the same time Henry, who was walking with her sister, was sprayed with bullets. The gunmen stood over Jones after he fell, pumping several more bullets into him. They ran off after his body caught on fire. Someone ran out from the mall and used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames, police said. Jones' head and face were blown to pieces which splattered all over a car and the ground. Both bodies remained on the scene for more than four hours as the district medical officer viewed the bodies and crime scene experts processed the scene.
At the scene yesterday, Jones' mother fainted and his other relatives broke down in tears. A worker said: "As soon as the man jump out of the car the van pull up and they shoot that man until he catch on fire." The store closed for the remainder of the day. Police recovered more than 24 spent 5.56 shells on the scene. Police said Henry was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Her husband, Fitzroy, a pastor, was overcome with grief at the crime scene. He said his wife left Sunday with their two younger sons to spend the Christmas weekend with her mother. He said her sister told him that they were heading to Hi Lo when she was killed.
Autopsies are expected to be performed today at the Forensic Sciences Centre, Port of Spain. Marabella, San Fernando and Homicide detectives, including Sgt Chandool, Anthony Charles and Cpl Peter Ramdeen, visited the scene. Up to late yesterday no arrests had been made.