(Trinidad Guardian) Three people were murdered and two others injured in separate incidents within the space of 17 hours in Pleasantville and Erin.
In the first incident, Akeem Mendoza, 28, a plumber, and Jasher Daniel, 40, were gunned down in Pleasantville on Wednesday night while Dermaine Benjamin, 28, also known as Gotti, a fisherman/fish vendor was gunned down at Erin Beach Fishing Depot on Thursday.
Mendoza and Daniel, both of Orchid Gardens were near Building C off Aerides Drive, when they were shot several times.
Officers were on mobile patrol around 7.15 pm at Pleasantville Circular they heard several loud explosions coming from the apartment buildings at Orchid Gardens.
When they arrived at the scene, they saw a grey B 14 speeding away.
It was being driven by Daniel’s wife who was taking him to the hospital.
The officers saw Mendoza lying on the ground bleeding from gunshot wounds.
Mendoza died the scene. But, Daniel’s wife did not get far as the car got a flat tire at Cypre Boulevard.
She eventually flagged down a passing motorist who took them to the San Fernando General hospital.
Daniel, however, died on the way.
Police recovered 21 9mm spent shells, two projectiles and three 5.56 calibre bullets and a spent casing.
During the attack, the B-14 was riddled with bullets.
According to the police, both men were involved in criminal activities.
Officers of the Mon Repos Police Station, San Fernando CID and Homicide Bureau of Investigations visited the scene.
In the other incident, around 11.30 am yesterday Benjamin was at his fish stall when a car pulled up.
Four men armed with guns got out and began firing.
Benjamin ran a short distance before he collapsed and died.
Meanwhile Benjamin’s father Eli Benjamin, 62, and another man Luis Adams were wounded.
They were taken to the San Fernando General Hospital.
Police believe that the incident was connected to the murder of Jentle Jade Dates alias Porkie who was fatally shot in the same area on January 5.
Dates was sitting on the tray of his van liming with his friends at a fishing depot when a car pulled up . Two gunmen came out and opened fire at Dates.
As he fell to the ground, the gunmen stood over him and shot him several more times. Police believe the motive could be drug related and/or gang-related.
Meanwhile, an unidentified man was shot and killed just a stone’s throw away from the Malick Secondary School on Thursday morning.
According to a report, at about 8.45 am residents of Lady Young Road, Malick, heard several gun shots and upon checking found the body of a man lying face down in some bushes a short distance away from the Malick Secondary School.
Police said the victim, who died on the scene, and who is yet to be identified, was shot in the head and chest.
Officers from the North Eastern Division and the Homicide Bureau visited the scene and are continuing investigations. With reporting by Rhondor Dowlat-Rostant
