Criminologist Dr Randy Seepersad says the explosion of shootings in which multiple lives were lost in a single incident in Arima is a development which is a cause for concern.
Referring to Thursday’s early morning mass shooting at the Heights of Guanapo, Arima, which claimed the lives of four people between the ages of 10-19, Seepersad said, “It represents a shift because in the past, even up to last year, there would have been a bunch of single incidents. Now, we are seeing multiple persons being killed and it speaks to perpetrators becoming much more brazen, much more bold.”
Siblings Faith Peterkin, ten; Arianna Peterkin, 14; Shane Peterkin, 17; and Tiffany Peterkin, 19, were killed in the attack. The four were among nine relatives who were struck down in a hail of bullets as gunmen kicked in their door and opened fire on them as they slept. Four persons remained hospitalised up to yesterday, while a fifth man discharged himself shortly after the incident.
Seepersad, who heads the Criminology Department at the University of the West Indies’ St Augustine Campus, sought to rationalise this latest trend.
He said, “To be able to do something like that, it signals that perpetrators out there know that there is very little or next to no chance of getting caught, and that is backed up by the low detection rates.”
Urging persons to access services through the T&T Police Service’s Victim and Witness Support Unit, Seepersad said, “This is a nation that is hurting ... psychologically, physically, emotionally ... there have been so many victims.”
He said the killings represented cases of trauma.
“Every one of those figures is a family destroyed, a life gone, psychological hurt and trauma for the rest of some people’s lives ... it is more than a number on a piece of paper.”
While Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher remained silent on the issue on Thursday, senior police officers last evening confirmed extensive investigations were underway.
“To the families that have suffered a loss arising out of this very unfortunate incident, I want to assure those family members and the wider community of Guanapo, that the TTPS would spare no effort in conducting investigations into this matter using all available resources to bring to justice those responsible for this act,” head of the Northern Division North, Sr Supt Kerwin Francis, said as he moved to assure that, along with support from others arms of the TTPS and the Defence Force, they will continue 24-hour patrols in the area to ensure a level of safety and security was maintained.
“This incident highlights the ease of which firearms can move across different divisions in T&T. It is a stark reminder of the prevalence of illegal firearms on our streets, and the brazenness with which individuals who are in possession of these instruments of death would act to achieve their criminal objective,” Francis said.
Noting this comes against the backdrop of the TTPS’ removal of over 480 illegal guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition from the streets, Francis added, “This in itself demonstrates the gravity of the body of work that is required not only from the TTPS, but from all other arms of the State.”
Among the evidence collected at the scene on Thursday were five cell phones; seven 9mm spent shells; 13 7.62mm spent shells; 33 5.56mm spent shells; one live 9mm with TTPS markings; one live 5.56mm ammunition; five projectiles and one metal fragment.
The police appealed to the public to contact them at 736-8877, 800-8477, 555, 999 or 667-3563 to assist in providing information which could help solve the crime.
