Police Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs has expressed concern over the number of homicides taking place in east Port-of-Spain and parts of Laventille.A spokesman said yesterday the commissioner held a meeting with senior officers in an attempt to put additional measures in place to reduce gang violence in the areas.Gibbs' meeting came as homicide detectives continued investigations into two more murders between Sunday and yesterday in Belmont and Laventille. Those killings pushed the murder toll for the year to 239.
There were 305 murders for the corresponding period last year.Police have identified the latest victims as Jahabarim Lawrence, 19, of Trou Macaque, Laventille, and Keron Richardson, 28, of Leotard Street, Belmont.Lawrence was shot dead on Sunday evening at La Resource Road, East Dry River, Port-of-Spain, while Richardson was found with his throat slit yesterday at Maryland, Belmont, police said.
A report said around 9.20 pm on Sunday residents of Trou Macaque heard several loud explosions. They checked and found Lawrence's bullet-riddled body lying in a drain.In the second incident, around 3 am yesterday residents found Richardson's body at the side of the road.Meanwhile, investigators said they were pursuing the shooting deaths of 14 other people during the past three weeks as a result of gang violence which stemmed from the theft of five guns from Picton Road, Laventille.
They were:
Knolly Lewis, 49, of Barton Lane, who was shot at Straker Village, Laventille, on July 17. He died last Friday;
Jomol Peters, 24, and Randy Mason, 35, of Eighth Avenue, Malick, Barataria, were gunned down at Desperlie Crescent, Laventille, last Thursday.
Kylan Lewis, 18, of Green Acres, was shot dead at Green Acres last Wednesday;
William "Coxy" Cox, 53 - shot dead at Sapodilla Trace, Laventille, last Tuesday;
Lawrence Quashie, 48, of Mapp Lands, Laventille, a "PH" driver-shot dead by gunmen while at his home at La Pomp Trace, Laventille, last Monday morning;
Elton Bryon, 31-shot dead at Straker Village last Thursday;
Kadeem Martin, 17-shot dead at Pt Plaisance Park, Laventille, last Friday;
Everton Martinez, 20, who was shot dead on George Street, Port-of-Spain, two weeks ago;
Anthony Douglas, 22, of Snake Valley, Laventille, who was gunned down at the corner of Henry Street and Independence Square within the past three weeks;
"PH" driver Kevon Fredericks, who was shot dead at the corner of Nelson Street and Independence Square north;
Devon Rodrigues, of East Dry River, Port-of-Spain- killed at the corner of Duncan Street and Independence Square; and,
On July 13, Sean Michael Cazabon 38, of Unity Lane, Carapo, Arima, and Irvin Feliciano Stephens, 33, of St Vincent, were shot dead at 18th Street, Beetham Gardens.