Williams: Criminals behind Desperlie killings

Williams also admitted that while they were exploring all angles in the investigation, the involvement of law enforcement personnel in the incident had been ruled out.

“Based on the preliminary investigations we have conducted clearly points that the persons are not law enforcement,” Williams said.

“We do not want to confirm, although we have some level of evidence and suspicion as to a motive... We do not want to confirm a motive until we can progress the investigation a little more,” he added.

Witnesses to the incident have been interviewed and investigators will continue to process the crime scene area, Williams said.

At present, he added, investigators were exploring information they have received to locate the black SUV used on Thursday night.

He could not confirm if investigators had yet retrieved images captured by CCTV cameras in the Desperlie Crescent area, adding that “in the conduct of the investigation we will be utilising all means available from which we can get evidence,” he said.

Williams also could not say what calibre of weapons were used by Thursday’s shooters until he has been briefed by investigators who have retrieved spent shells from the crime scene.

The acting Commissioner was speaking at a specially convened media briefing at Police Headquarters, Sackville Street, Port-of-Spain.

According to reports, which the acting Commissioner confirmed, at about 10 pm on Thursday night, a group of men were in the Laventille area when occupants of a black Nissan Xtrail SUV ordered the group to kneel and fired upon them.

Five men were shot; three fatally. The dead men have been identified as Dillon “Bandy” Skeete — a suspect in the murder of Lance Corporal Kayode Thomas in June; Joel Tash and Jamaican national Tremin Thomas.

The other two men are currently being treated at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital under police guard.

There were also reports that the Besson Street Police Station was also shot at. Williams said he has received no reports that the police station was damaged. He said it appeared those shooters were persons in the Lodge Place area.

Told there were eye-witness accounts that the Desperlie Crescent shooters were linked to law enforcement agencies, as Skeete was said to be wanted by the Defence Force for Lance Corporal Thomas’ murder, Williams said he could not say, only that Skeete was considered a suspect in the investigations into the soldier’s killing.

“It is still a live investigation. The Defence Force has not communicated to me who they treated as a suspect. He (Skeete) was a suspect as other persons have been suspects,” Williams said.

Both Williams and Hackett said Skeete had not approached the police for protection.

Williams also said police were in the process of determining whether Thomas and Cash had criminal records or were persons wanted in connection with any crime.

He assured the TTPS “will do everything possible” to solve what he described as a “heinous crime” which he said disturbed the peace in Laventille.

“The police will be working with the community to maintain peace in Laventille...This has disturbed that peace. Will work continuously to bring perpetrators to justice in shortest period of time,” Williams assured.

There was a heavy police presence in the areas in and around the scene of the shooting incident as well as portions of East Port-of-Spain and according to the acting Commissioner the TT Police Service will put measures in place to mitigate any possibility of reprisal attacks in the area.

“We will have a heightened police presence as is obvious in light of the incident... And we will continue to police Laventille and the city of Port-of-Spain,” he said, adding that the TTPS will deal with situations as it presents itself.