Murder rate skyrockets

Four months into the year, the murder rate for 2004 has  already surpassed last year’s figure for the same period. According to statistics, 68 murders had been recorded for the first four months of 2003. However, the number of murders up to April 30, 2004 has surpassed last year’s figure by ten victims. This means that 78 people have been murdered during the first four months of this year. One frightening aspect is that the number of teenagers being killed has also increased, with five being killed within the last week.

As the figures continue to climb, more families continue to be plunged into mourning over the deaths of their loved ones. Within the last week alone, ten persons have lost their lives, including a Canadian karateka, who died after bandits robbed him and shot him in the head. According to reports, 43-year-old Robert MacDonald, a university professor, was  making his way from a restaurant with seven other visiting Canadians when they were robbed by three armed men of cash, jewelry and other items. Before making off, the bandits opened fire on the group, striking MacDonald in the head. He succumbed to his injuries on Thursday after being flown back to Canada. Following the attack on the professor, two teenaged brothers of Cocorite were gunned down after leaving a baby shower last Saturday night. Dead are 19-year-old Elton Delice and his brother Allan Sterling, aged 21.

Reports state that Delice had an altercation with the girlfriend of a known gang-member. The incident angered the gang-member, who waited for Delice as he was making his way from the baby shower, with his brother and his girlfriend. Both young men were shot dead. Up to yesterday, there were still no arrests for those two murders. On that same night, a mentally ill man was also stabbed to death in South Trinidad after allegedly attacking a group of men with a piece of wood. Police have since held two male relatives, who were deported from the United States, for questioning into the incident. Also in South, a couple succumbed to injuries sustained after their house was set on fire by an unknown intruder who, according to reports, had come in search of a bag of gold. According to reports, Frankie Alexander and his common-law wife Shirley Gregor died on Monday morning at the San Fernando General Hospital while being treated for severe burns about their bodies. The couple’s home was completely destroyed in the blaze. Investigations are continuing.

And while the murders of the two Cocorite teenagers were still fresh in the minds of relatives and residents of the area, in less than 24 hours after the last event, another Cocorite youth was gunned down. This time though, relatives who witnessed the death of 19-year-old Devon Cox, claimed that he was shot by a life-long friend. The killer, who fled the scene, reportedly contacted Cox’s relatives later the same day, telling them that he was sorry for what he had done, and explained that he had too much to drink at a christening he had attended moments before. Cox was buried yesterday, while his killer remains in hiding. A 19-year-old Chaguanas man was the fourth person to die last Monday. This time, Mark Boodoo of  Edinburgh 500 was shot dead by another young man who accused him of stealing his girlfriend. Boodoo, who was shot in the left side of his chest, died on the spot. A 20-year-old man has since been charged for the killing. Gang rivalry has also begun to rear its ugly head once again, as an Arima man was fatally gunned down in what police believe to be a drug-related incident. Dead is Amandoe Huggins, 27, of Reid Lane in D’Abadie. According to reports, Huggins was liming near his home when a car pulled along side him and the occupants of the vehicle opened fire on him.

He died on the spot, while one of his friends who was also shot was rushed to hospital. Investigations are continuing. And in the latest murder (as of Friday), a 16-year-old was shot by a friend after winning a card game. Reports state that Arrindel Michael was shot six times by his friend who became angry because Michael was winning most of the games. The boy was rushed to the Arima Health Facility where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Contacted yesterday for comment, acting Commis-sioner of Police, Trevor Paul, said the escalating crime situation bothers him greatly. “One murder in one day is too much as far as I am concerned, so if it is that we have ten murders in ten days, then it means that we have a situation that is one of great concern,” he said.