Two murders mar weekend

Detectives are investigating the murders of two men who were stabbed while liming in Port-of-Spain between Friday night and Saturday morning. With less than four days left in the month, the two murders took the murder toll for the year to 32 up to late yesterday. The murder toll for last year was 377 according to statistics released earlier this year by the Police Service’s Crime and Problem Analysis Branch (CAPA).

In the first incident, around 2.30 am on Saturday, Akiel Adams, 25, of Production Avenue, Sea Lots was walking along Independence Square North when upon reaching Frederick Street, he had an argument with a group of five women. While speaking to one of the women, another drew a knife which was hidden in her handbag and stabbed Adams once in the left side of the chest.

As Adams collapsed on the sidewalk, the group of women ran away towards east Port-of-Spain. Police who were on mobile patrol in downtown, Port-of-Spain responded soon after and took Adams to Port-of-Spain General Hospital. Adams died at hospital around 10 am on Saturday after undergoing emergency surgery.

Meanwhile, less than an hour after Adams was stabbed, another man was attacked while liming near several popular bars along Ariapita Avenue in Woodbrook. Police said Keston Huggins, 30, of Herman Avenue, Malabar, Arima, was liming with friends on The Avenue in front of Domino’s Pizza when he got into an argument with a stranger.

After a short exchange, the stranger left. Eyewitnesses told police  within five minutes, the man returned carrying a knife which he used to stab Huggins in his chest. The suspect then ran away. Huggins was taken to hospital by his friends but he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Investigators of both murders were yesterday reviewing CCTV footage captured by cameras installed at businesses located near where both stabbings took place in an attempt to find the suspects. ASP Ajith Persad, Insp Ramdeo and Cpls Anthony Williams and Ramsoomair are investigating both stabbings.

Senior police sources confirmed yesterday that additional measures will be implemented to ensure that knives, firearms, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons do not find their way into the capital during this year’s Carnival celebrations. These measures are likely to include police road blocks as well as random searches of spectators and revellers on Carnival Monday and Tuesday (February 11 and 12).

A large number of police and soldiers, both uniformed and under cover, have been assigned to police large Carnival events.