(Trinidad Guardian) Minutes before gunmen shot and killed three men in Morvant on Tuesday night, residents said the trio were warned to get inside and stay there as talks of an impending attack were circulated.
Israel McLaren, 19, Shaqkeem Dennis, 27, and Jomol Williams were liming in a tent outside Building D, Paradise Heights, around 7.50 pm when a dark grey pickup truck, drove near them.
Three gunmen wearing tactical gear got out of the truck and identified themselves as police before shooting at the group.
Dennis died at the scene while McLaren and Williams were taken to hospital where they died shortly after.
When Guardian Media visited the scene residents lamented that the trio and others who were outside at the time were warned to remain inside as rumours of an attack were abound.
The resident said while he could not say how or whom he heard of the rumours from, he said everyone was advised to remain indoors for the rest of the evening.
“Look at the bullet holes on the ground, all on the bench where they were (liming.)
“All the glass behind them is shattered.
“It isn’t a nice thing. Paradise Heights doesn’t normally have this kind of violence but look what come and happen.”
Other residents said the trio were stunned and did not try to run as the gunmen originally identified themselves as police officers.
One man who lived near the shooting said he was unsure how to proceed when stopped by people claiming to be police officers.
“They knew they had nothing to fear from the law so they just sat there, that’s why they didn’t bother to run or anything.
“So what to do now when a police in an unmarked (vehicle) ordering you now?”
Homicide investigators visited the scene again on Wednesday morning to continue their probe into the killings.
