Two shot dead in car

The bloody attack took place around 11.15 am. Residents told Newsday they heard two gunshots and, on checking, saw the bodies of Loranza Alleyne, 19, and Ijah Williamson, 25, both of Nelson Street, Port-of-Spain, slumped in the car with single gunshot wounds at the back of their heads.

Williamson was in the driver’s seat. The two men are believed to have been shot dead by a third man who was sitting in the back of the car, but who disappeared after the shooting.

An eyewitness told police that the man was seen in the backseat of the car around 11 am.

Senior homicide officers told Newsday that based on their information, Williamson picked up the third man in the Belmont area. They believe Williamson knew the man, as he was seen talking to the man while driving.

Police believe that as they drove on Sandhurst Street, the man in the backseat pulled out a gun, and shot Williamson and Alleyne, in the back of their heads, then fled the scene.

Police cordoned off the area and tried to prevent weeping relatives from going close to the bodies in the car.

The car was also tested for fingerprints.

Najula Ollivierre, girlfriend of Williamson and the mother of his seven-month-old daughter, said he was killed by someone he knew.

She added that he was accustomed to visiting friends in Belmont.

She described him as a construction worker who was not involved in crime.

However, police officers disputed this claim, saying that the two dead men had matters pending in court for firearm offences.

They believe the killing stemmed from a deal involving drugs and guns that had gone sour.

Yvette Alleyne, a close relative of Alleyne, also insisted he was innocent and added that he had travelled to North America to buy clothes which he sold in addition to doing construction work.

Screams filled the air at Sandhurst Street, as relatives of the two murder victims viewed the removal of the bodies from the scene by undertakers. The car was removed by homicide officers.

The double murder pushed the murder toll to 115 persons for the year, and police expressed concern that the two killings would spark more violence during the next few days.

Visiting the scene were head of homicide Snr Supts Dyo Mohammed, Errol Denoon, Leon Anthony and Supt Morrain.

Cpl Bartholomew of the Belmont Police Station is investigating.