(Trinidad Express) A 34-year-old Tunapuna man, who survived an incident in which he was shot 11 times about the body last year, was gunned down a short distance from his home on Thursday. A Laventille man was also shot dead Thursday bringing the murder toll for the year to 64.
Darren “Diamond” Ryan, of St Thomas Lane, St Vincent Street, Tunapuna was shot around 6.15 p.m. on Thursday in a similar fashion to when he was first shot and critically wounded in June last year.
Police said the victim was on the roadway along St Vincent Street when a black motorcar drove by and the occupants opened fire on him. He slumped to the ground and died at the scene.
A motive has not yet been established for the incident but police believe it may have been connected to the incident in which Ryan was shot and critically wounded in the area last year.
Officers of the Northern Division led by ASP Nazrool Hosein, Insp Wayne Baptiste and Sgt Basdeo Sinanan visited the scene along with the District Medical Officer who ordered the body removed to the Forensic Science Centre in St James. An autopsy was expected to be performed yesterday.
Around 8 p.m. on June 30, 2011 Ryan was walking along Water Lane, off St Vincent Street, when a black Mitsubishi Lancer motorcar drove by.
The occupants opened fire on the victim and quickly sped off. He was later taken to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope where he was listed in critical condition. He was shot 11 times about the body.
Ryan subsequently recovered from his injuries and two men were later arrested and charged with attempted murder.
Meanwhile, Besson Street and homicide detectives are probing an incident in which a 20-year-old Laventille man was shot dead in Laventille on Thursday.
Police have identified the victim as Hakeem Lewis of LP 29 Trou Macaque Road, Laventille.
Lewis, police said, was found bleeding from gunshot injures by a female motorist along Smith Lane, near Buller Trace, Trou Macaque Road around 9.15 a.m.
The victim was taken to his home by the woman and subsequently taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital by neighbours where he was pronounced dead one hour later.
Residents of Buller trace also reported to police that they heard several loud explosions in the area but noticed nothing unusual.
A team of officers from the Besson Street CID headed by Insp Sahadeo Singh, including Cpls Hinkson, Budri, Harvey and PC Bellille visited the scene. Up to late yesterday police were unable to locate the scene where Lewis was shot.
