The escalating murder spree continued on Saturday night into yesterday, as three more people lost their lives by the gun. These killings took the toll for the year to 311. In one incident, a man walked into a Moruga bar pretending to be a customer, ordered two beers and then shot proprietor Daryl Boodoo to death on Saturday night.
Boodoo’s murder has plunged his hometown at La Rufin Road into sadness and has left relatives and villages baffled as to why anyone would want him dead.
Boodoo, who was expecting his first baby, was in his business place, Marva’s Bar, around 7.30 pm when the man walked in and ordered the beers. As Boodoo placed the beers on the counter, however, the “customer” drew a gun and opened fire on him, striking him in the chest.
The assailant then got into a silver Toyota Aqua, which sped off.
On hearing the loud explosions, Boodoo’s cousin went to check on him and found him lying in a pool of blood clutching a pack of biscuits in his left hand.
He was taken to the Princes Town District Health Facility, where he died around 8.30 pm.
Boodoo operated the business place, a bar and mini mart, which belonged to his deceased parents, downstairs his home.
When Guardian Media visited the home yesterday, relatives said their lawyer had advised them not to speak to the media. However, one relative who was crying described him as a very nice, quiet and generous person.
“He was a people’s person,” she said. Those sentiments were shared by other villagers in the community.
“If you short (of money) or if you not short, he still giving you (items). He was a real nice fellah. The whole community sad, everybody,” a villager, who did not want to be named, said.
Hoping that they will get justice, she lamented that Boodoo did not deserve to die in that manner.
Boodoo was expecting his first child in about two months. This is the second tragedy for the family this year, as his sister died two months ago. The police retrieved CCTV camera footage, as well as two spent 40- calibre casings at the scene. Up to last evening, they were still trying to determine a motive. Officers from the Homicide Bureau of Investigations Region 3 are investigating.
1 killed, 2 hurt in San Juan
In another incident on Saturday in San Juan, one man was killed and two others wounded, including a woman.
The deceased was identified as Roger Williams, 37, of Bagatelle Extension, San Juan. The wounded were a 29-year-old man of James Place, Bagatelle Extension and a 38-year-old woman, also of Bagatelle Extension, San Juan.
Police said at about 11.30 pm, officers responded to a shooting at Bagatelle Extension, San Juan. On arrival at the scene five minutes later, they saw Williams’ body on a staircase. He was shot several times.
The scene was processed by the Homicide CSIs and ten shotgun cartridges, 22 spent 40-calibre shell casings, two deformed cartridges, one 40-calibre projectile and two deformed cartridges were recovered.
Police were told that at about 11.15 pm, Williams was liming with the other two victims on the staircase outside the home of the female victim, when a grey-coloured motor vehicle, whose make, model and registration number was unknown, pulled up on the roadway. Two occupants, both armed with guns, came out of the vehicle and started shooting in their direction.
Williams was hit several times and died on the staircase. The wounded man was taken to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope by a neighbour while the woman was taken by EHS personnel to the hospital.
Police believe revenge was the motive for the deadly shooting.
Enquiries are continuing.
11 bullets for labourer on way home
And finally, a 30-year-old labourer on his way home from work was shot dead in his car in Claxton Bay yesterday morning.
Police said Tristan Wellington, of La Brea, was still strapped in by his seatbelt when they got to the scene. There were at least four bullet holes in his vehicle’s front windscreen.
Police responded to a call about a shooting around 7.05 am at Pranz Gardens along the Old Southern Main Road. They found Wellington in the driver’s seat of a white Nissan Note in an orange coverall with a white jersey and bare feet.
Police retrieved 11 spent 9-mm shell casings, his driver’s permit, two passes for Phoenix Trinidad United Engineering Services and Atlantic LNG and $74.
Police had no motive for the killing up to last evening.
Autopsies on the three murder victims are expected to be conducted at the Forensic Science Centre in St James this week.