Senior Reporter
annalisa.paul@guardian.co.tt
The gunman who shot and killed Kelum Williams knew he was accustomed to visiting his father every Sunday, and used that information to lure him to his death.
And although his family continues to grieve for him, they have said vengeance was not theirs to take.
Instead, they said, “We will pray for his killer (s) and leave it in God’s hands.”
Williams, 24, of Upper Sixth Avenue, Malick, Barataria, was shot around 1 pm on July 9, as he stood on the road close to his father’s house.
The father of two had reportedly been on the way to meet a friend when he was approached by a gunman who shot him multiple times in the back.
As he lay gasping on the road, police officers took him to hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Williams had been employed with the Community-Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme at the time of his death.
Speaking with reporters at the Forensic Science Centre in St James, on Monday, a male relative said, “Everybody could tell you Kelum was a nice and loving fella. He doh harass nobody. If you talk to anybody in the community, they could tell you he is not a bad boy.”
Hurt by the comments posted on social media by people who did not know Williams, the relative said, “Go and look at what people are saying ... see for yourself. You wouldn’t find no bad comments about him.”
Denying Williams had ever been in trouble with the law and unaware if he had received any threats recently, the relative added, “This is an innocent child they killed.”
As his father’s first-born son and the only child for his mother, the relative said Williams’s death had left both sets of families reeling in shock and agony.
“Trinidad is gone ... it is in a mess ... nobody wants to come here now.
The relative said the family would now take over the care and upbringing of Williams’ children.
