T&T police kill two women, man in Barrackpore

(Trinidad Express) Best friends Abigail Johnson and Allana Duncan, along with construction worker Kerron “Fingers” Eccles, were shot dead by police on Friday night.

Police claimed the trio opened fire on officers who attempted to intercept the car at the corner of Poui Trace and Rochard Road, Barrackpore around 9 p.m.

Their relatives, however, believe it was a case of mistaken identity and are crying out for justice.

Investigators said officers were responding to a report that a man wanted for murder was seen in a vehicle heading into Barrackpore.

The officers attempted to stop the car, but the driver refused, police said. A chase ensued and the occupants of the car opened fire on the officers, who retaliated. Police said two women and a man were wounded inside the vehicle. They were pronounced dead at the Princes Town District Hospital.

Relatives of the three victims have accused the officers of killing them in cold blood.

An eyewitness, who requested anonymity, said the officers intercepted the car and fired several shots at the driver (Johnson). Duncan ran out and was shot several times in the leg, she said.

Eccles, however, walked up to the officers and questioned why they were being attacked.

“The driver was already dead. But the other two left the scene in a police vehicle alive. The man had no gunshot. I cannot understand how they ended up dead,” she said.

Johnson, 20, was driving the white Nissan B-15 car, which she had borrowed from a friend.

“She owned a DVD shop and was also a DJ, so she left home that evening to play music in a bar down the road. She picked up two friends and they were headed to Barrackpore when the police stopped them,” her aunt, Melissa Charles, said.

Charles said her niece was shot under the neck and the bullet exited through her head.

There were also bullet wounds on her face and foot.

“Her body was riddled with bullets. They killed her inside the car. The police did not ask a question, they just started shooting the car, killing innocent people. There was no chase,” she said.

Johnson, of Burton Trace, St Mary’s Village, Moruga was not married and had no children.

Duncan, 28, was shot multiple times in the leg and chest. She was seated in the front passenger seat.

Duncan lived at Duncan Village, San Fernando.

Relatives said she was never involved in anything illegal. “She was an innocent girl, this was just another innocent person killed by police,” a relative said.

Eccles, 26, lived at St Mary’s Village, Moruga.

Relatives said he was last seen liming with friends near his family’s home.

“He was right here liming and then he leave to go by a next bar. He just come home from work and was still dressed in his boots and coverall. He was never in anything illegal. An eyewitness said the police stop the car and killed the driver first. Allana and Kerron came out of the car with their hands in the air and they too ended up dead,” his brother Christopher Eccles said.

Eccles was the father of two boys, ages two and seven.

His wife, Junette Bascombe, said: “The last time I saw my husband was when he left for work on Friday morning. He grew up with Abigail and I heard they were going for barbecue when they were shot. My husband was never in anything illegal, he like his rum, that is all.”

Police said a revolver belonging to a man wanted in connection with several crimes was recovered in the vehicle.

The victims’ relatives have promised to seek legal advice. “We need justice for this crime. The police cannot go around killing innocent people. I am calling on National Security Minister, John Sandy, and Commissioner of Police, Dwayne Gibbs, to intervene and find out what really happened here. There were eyewitnesses but they are afraid for their life. Something needs to be done about these officers who are killing people in cold blood,” Eccles said.