MOTHER WANTS JUSTICE AS 13-YEAR-OLD BOY SHOT TO DEATH

Kaleem Danglade, a Form One student of Barataria Junior Secondary School, according to police reports, was sitting on a culvert near his home at 40 Laventille Road, Chinapoo, Morvant with seven of his friends, when two men started firing shots at them.

Kaleem, they said, had just returned from the basketball court where he was playing football.

The gunmen wanted to know who were the people sitting in the dark. They then started firing shots, forcing those around to scamper for safety, police said.

His mother, Patricia Danglade, who was standing nearby speaking to a friend, ran to the scene. She found her son bleeding with a bullet wound to his head.

He was rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he died on the operating table. She swore to get vengeance if she does not get justice from police.

"If I do not get justice, I will let my blue dress talk," said the grieving mother, who is also a practising Spiritual Baptist.

"My son was an angel, he was a star and they take him away before he got time to live. I want his killers to suffer, for their family to feel my pain," she cried. She said her son, also known as "Billy" was a wonderful person who was loved by everyone. "He was a drummer in the church he loved, he was in the Police Youth Club, in the Village Olympics football team," she said, noting that he wanted to become a professional footballer and now that dream will never be realised.

"I want answers," the emotional mother said.

Joan Danglade, grandmother of the dead boy, called on all youths to put down their guns and turn to God, while chastising parents for hiding the sins and wrongdoings of their children. One resident of the area said Billy was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Police told Newsday they are confused as to the motive, since the teen was not known to be involved in anything questionable.

Visiting the scene were Supt Cummings, Insp Hilaire and others.