Boy, 6, shot as hitman murdered

While hitman/murder suspect Oba Davis, alias Shortbone, was being riddled with bullets yesterday, a stray bullet struck a six-year-old student of the Eastern Boys Government School, who is currently warded in a stable condition at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. Second-year student Rakeem Rodney was playing in an alley between buildings 34/42 and 44/46, Nelson Street, while his cousins Jonathan and Shawn stood nearby, when shots rang out as two gunmen pursued Davis. Hit in the jaw by a bullet, Rodney screamed out in pain and ran to his apartment screaming, “Oh God! Oh God.” His cousin, Jaileen Rodney, rushed him to the PoSGH. The three children had left the apartment only 20 minutes before to play in the alley.

Meanwhile, Davis, 19, of East Dry River, who was sitting on a bench on the Nelson Street side of the apartments, collapsed dead near George Street in the alley with ten bullet wounds in the head and chest. The gunmen hid the guns in a garbage bag, then fled the scene. Davis’ murder pushed this year’s murder toll to 370. A traumatised Debra Davis, the dead man’s mother, said she was fed up after losing two sons, a husband and now a third son by bullets within the last two years. The dead boy’s father, Brian Davis, was gunned down near his Low  Place home at East Dry River, Laventille, on December 31, 2004. On February 15, another brother, Brian Davis Jr, also known as Brian Hollingsworth and “Yellows,” was shot dead at Harpe Place, Observatory Street, Port-of-Spain. Brent Davis, 20, another brother, was also shot dead near Low  Place.

Oba Davis was recently released from prison after serving time for possession of arms. Residents claimed the victim visited the area, but had not been seen for a while because he knew there was a “hit” on his head. Police suspect the shooting was gang-related and that it was related to an incident that took place before he went to prison several months ago. One of the suspects was released two months ago and was often seen in the area looking for the victim. Meanwhile, a suspect has been identified as one of the men who robbed a shop at the corner of Duke and Prince Streets on Monday night. Visiting the scene were Snr Supt Maurice Piggott, Insp Hansraj, Sgts Franklin, Stewart, Jones and Kennedy of the Homicide Bureau.