Maloney residents are claiming there is a "hit list" targeting older men in the community, after three men were killed in separate incident this past week. Ian Hamilton, 45, a grass cutter, was shot in Maloney on Wednesday and died at the Arima Health Facility. Ian "Son Son" Farneum, 22, of Maloney Gardens was shot by gunmen at Desperlie Crescent in Laventille on Wednesday. Desmond Collins "Jerry" McLeod, 44, was killed on Tuesday, while liming at Maloney.
Up to late yesterday evening, a suspect was being questioned in connection with the deaths of the men.
During an exercise on Thursday night, a Maloney man was held with a nine millimetre firearm and several rounds of ammunition. He will be placed on an identification parade today. Another man was held with two kilogrammes of marijuana in a house during an exercise in Maloney. The exercise was headed by Snr Supt Stephen Ramsubhag. Close friends of Hamilton yesterday claimed he was a community leader who wanted a better life for the youths in the Maloney community.
In an interview, the friend (who wished to remain anonymous) said: "Hamilton and Mcleod were good friends...They used to encourage the youths to get work and get off the block. "They didn't want the youths in criminal activities and he tried to get people off the block and get work," she said. "We heard there is a list of older men that they want to get rid of." She said Hamilton held talks with several men who was recently involved in criminal activity. "He was vex and was upset about their behaviour," she said. "He said he tried to help them, but he (Hamilton) said they didn't want to do nothing good. "He knew they wanted to get rid of the older men and to stop them from having gangs...That was the talk."
She said there was a "lot of talk from people who did not know Hamilton. "There are also people (in Maloney) who are hiding criminals when the police come to arrest them," she added. The friend claimed Hamilton served time in prison and was deported from the US. "He wanted a better life for them." Hamilton's funeral service will be at Allen's Funeral Home in Arima on Tuesday . Senior officers said there would be an increase in police presence and they hoped that the law-abiding citizens would share information with the police to help root out criminals. "They must stand back and take away Maloney from criminal elements and get the guns off the street," said an officer.
