Double murder in John John

According to reports, Tyrique Roberts, 19, and Hakeem Anderson, 21, were working at an apartment complex at the Canada Heights Housing Development complex in John John, Laventille shortly after midday, when they were approached by a group of men consisting of several gang members who demanded work at the site, but were turned away.

It is believed that the killers returned at 2.45 pm to the construction site and without warning, opened fire on the workers, striking both Thomas and Anderson several times. One of them died instantly, his body bent over some scaffolding while the other ran a short distance before collapsing in a rubbish-filled drain near the construction site.

Police were alerted and officers of the Port-of-Spain Criminal Investigations Department (CID) as well as the Homicide Investigations Bureau and the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) visited the scene. On arriving, officers claimed they were met with gunfire and hurriedly took cover. When the gunfire subsided, crime scene officers processed the area. Officers led by Snr Supt Radcliff Boxill, ASP Ajith Persad and others spoke to residents trying to ascertain what had happened.

Relatives described Roberts as a hard-working young man who steered clear of trouble and could not understand why someone would want him dead. Newsday understands that police sources were able to get descriptions of the assailants from eyewitnesses and will be carrying out exercises to flush out the suspects.

And last night, a 21-year-old El Socorro man who went to visit his girlfriend at an apartment in Duncan Street in Port-of-Spain was shot dead following an argument with the woman. Hayman Sooknanan was seen arguing with the woman at 6.50 pm. A short while later, gunshots were heard and Sooknanan was seen on the ground.

Police visited the scene and the body was removed to the Forensic Science Centre in St James. The murder toll up to press time stood at 196