Cops kept busy as three killed in shooting attacks

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Police officers were kept busy yesterday, as three men were shot dead and two others injured in four separate incidents.

In the latest incident, police launched a manhunt in the Plannings in east Port-of-Spain for suspects after a shooting incident left Brandon Santiago, of Rosehill, East Dry River, dead.

Police said at about 2.15 pm yesterday, personnel from the Port-of-Spain Division Task Force, under the supervision of Sgt Alexander, responded to a report of a man being shot at Lower Nelson Street, Port-of-Spain. On arrival, they found Santiago suffering from gunshot wounds to his body.

PC Nunes and a party of officers from the PoSTF took the victim to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital for medical attention.

While at the hospital, officers received information that one of the suspects was seen running into the Plannings area on Duncan Street. A search was subsequently conducted in the area but no arrests were made.

Police said Santiago succumbed to his injuries later on at the hospital.

Hours earlier, Kelvin Gordon, 40, of Torrecilla Gardens, Arima, was shot dead in the Heights of Aripo. Gordon operated a gravel pit at the corner of the Churchill Roosevelt Highway and Antigua Road.

According to a police report, at about 10.15 am, a party of officers, including Sgt Leopold, PC Samarroo, in company with PC Brewster and PC Carter, were on mobile patrol when they received information of gunshots being heard at the Heights of Aripo. They responded and subsequently found Gordon lying dead at the side of the roadway with gunshot wounds. He was later identified by relatives.

Prior to this incident, at 8.20 am, Kevon “Boyo” Mark was standing near the Thomasville One-Stop shop at Jacob Hill, Wallerfield, when a silver AD wagon pulled up and its occupants fired several shots at him.

Residents later found Mark in front of the gateway entrance to the shop with several gunshot wounds about his body.

A party of officers, including Ag ASP Coggins, Insp Ablacksingh, Insp Green, Cpl Rahim, PC France, PC Desuze and PC Francis of the Homicide Bureau of Investigations Region 2; Support Unit First Responders Ag CPL Sookram, PC Alexis of the NDTF East, crime scene officers and WPC Sam-Gooray, PC Guerra and PC Ignassio, visited the scene.

Investigations are continuing.

Meanwhile, in an incident on Monday, two friends were shot and wounded in Valencia.

According to a police report, the men, ages 31 and 33, were liming along the Valencia Old Road when they were approached by two masked men. The masked men reportedly had a brief conversation with the two friends, then pulled out guns and shot at them. The armed men then escaped.

The victims sustained gunshot wounds to their upper bodies and were taken to the hospital where they were treated. Police said both their conditions are serious but not life-threatening. A team of officers from the Eastern Division responded and recovered 11 spent shells at the scene.