Three murders push toll to 223

The first murder occurred at about 8.15 pm on Monday.

Reports revealed that Gerad Chapwell, 19, was liming at Duncan Street, Port-of-Spain, when he was confronted by a gunman who shot him several times. Chapwell was described by police officers as a suspect in several murders.

He was also wanted in connection with robberies and other crimes.

The second murder occurred more than an hour later, at 9.30 pm, at Sun Valley Road, Santa Cruz. Carlon Brown, 19, who was released from prison last week after serving a sentence on firearm-related offences, was at the back of his home when he was approached by a gunman.

A neighbour told Newsday he heard one gunshot and on checking saw the teenager’s body in a drain.

Officers of the Santa Cruz Police Station as well as homicide detectives went to the scene. The body was removed to the Forensic Science Centre, St James, as ordered by the district medical officer.

Then at 10.30 am yesterday, Ali Radellent, 20, of Production Drive, Sea Lots, was with his friend Arnold Issac, at Production Drive, when a gunman with a black T-shirt over his face walked up to them and fired several shots.

Radellent, a clerk with the Ministry of Public Utilities, ran a short distance but collapsed and died. The gunman escaped.

Relatives of Radellent told Newsday that he stayed away from work yesterday because of back pains.

They added that last week he parted a fight between Issac and another man and believed the killing may be related to that fight. Homicide officers are investigating.