Two more killings push murder toll to 73

Murders over the weekend

With less than four days to go in February, the murder toll rose to 73 between Saturday night and yesterday morning with the killings of 16-year-old boy and a Maraval man. There were 61 murders recorded for the corresponding period last year, with statistics from the Police Service’s Crime and Problem Analysis Branch showing that there were 377 for the entire year.

In the first incident, Reynold Roscoe and his neighbour Yvonne Jones were shot when gunmen raided a lime at Back Street, Le Platte Village, Maraval, on Saturday night. Police said around 9.30 pm, Roscoe and Jones were liming on the roadway with other neighbours, when they were approached by two men who asked for directions. The men had parked their car at the bottom of Cameron Hill.

After speaking to the residents, the duo drew firearms and began shooting at them. The residents managed to escape the hail of bullets by hiding behind a neighbour’s wall.
However, Roscoe was shot several times in the chest while Jones was shot in the leg. The gunmen then ran away.

Roscoe was pronounced dead on the scene by a district medical officer. Jones was taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where she remained warded in a stable condition up to late yesterday.

Homicide detectives have not established a motive for the incident. Supt Alfonso Patterson, Insps Thomas and Henry Dann are investigating. Meanwhile, shortly before midday yesterday, 16-year-old Shaquille Aberdeen was shot dead mere metres from his mother’s home in John John, Laventille.

According to reports, around 11.15 am, Aberdeen, of Pelican Extension,  Morvant, was walking near a basketball court in John John. Residents said they heard a volley of gunshots, and when they checked, they found Aberdeen lying unconscious with several gunshot wounds to the upper body. He died at the scene.

Aberdeen’s mother, Sherma Critchlow, told investigators her son came to visit her to have lunch and was returning home to his father’s house when he was killed. Investigators said Aberdeen did not have a criminal record and believe that his murder is a consequence of warfare among gangs in various communities in Laventille.