Killed for her ‘hot mouth’

(Trinidad Express) – Relatives of murdered woman Afiya Osbourne, who was shot about the body on Tuesday morning near her Dorata Street, Laventille home, said yesterday she was killed for her “hot mouth”.

Speaking at the Forensic Science Centre, St James relatives of Osbourne, who did not want to be identified, said Osbourne, 28, knew her attacker.

Relatives said she was called “Fire” because she was not afraid of speaking out.

They said when the killer approached her she did not run because she knew him.

Osbourne was shot in the mouth because she would continuously speak out against the murder of her cousin, 24-year-old Miguel Clinton.

Clinton was shot and killed on August 26 after he questioned a man about his presence in the Dorata Street area.

At the Forensic Science Centre yesterday relatives said they heard about six gunshots and when they ventured outside they realised Osbourne had been shot.

She was rushed to the Port of Spain General Hospital by an off-duty police officer.

Relatives said Osbourne was shot in the mouth, arm and chest.

They said that she was not related to murder accused Barry Alphonso, whose 11-year-old son Kareem Alphonso was killed in Dorata Street on August 25.

In an unrelated incident, 16-year-old Deon Atkin was shot and killed while riding his bicycle along Church Street, Couva, yesterday in what police are describing as gang related. Police reports indicated around 3.15 pm yesterday, Atkin, who is originally from San Juan, was involved in an altercation with three other young men in the area.

Police said the three youths left and returned with a gun and shot the teen in the back. Atkin jumped off his bike and ran a short distance, collapsing on Balisier Street. Residents in the area rushed him to the Couva Health Facility where he was pronounced dead on arrival

The killings have pushed the murder toll to 297 for the year, according to an Express tally.