Killer slain by victim

At the Forensic Science Centre in St James yesterday, Lewis’ sisters, Nakita Mohammed, Shanice Mohammed and Aricka Smith Mohammed, related that his death was the result of years of bullying and targeting.

“We were told that the other person, (Marshall) went to kill him (Lewis),” said Nakita. “But he did not anticipate that my brother was going to fight back. That is how he managed to get the gun from him and shoot him. There were other gunmen there and when they realised that they could not do anything for their partner they went and killed my brother.” According to reports police officers of the Port of Spain Division responded to a report of loud explosions being heard at about 11.25 pm on Thursday, at Roget Place in Belmont. When they arrived on the scene, they found Lewis and Marshall lying in pools of blood.

Officers cordoned off the scene and District Medical Officer, Dr Oja, declared the men dead and ordered their bodies removed to the Forensic Science Centre. Police have not yet ascertained a motive for Lewis’ murder.

Nakita told reporters yesterday that she was awakened by a phone call from a close friend of Lewis who told her of her brother’s death.

She said she was the first of the family to know of the murder, despite the fact that the shooting took place a stone’s throw away from Lewis’ home. “My family heard the gunshots, but never in their wildest dreams did they expect that it would have something to do with him (Lewis),” said Nakita. “He was miserable when he was growing up, but he was never involved in any gang thing.” Just as relatives were coming to terms with the shock of Lewis’ death, his family was also told that he was previously targeted by gunmen in the area.

“The same person that came and called me told me that he had been robbed once and that he had been taken by gunpoint on at least two occasions.” Nakita related, “He was being targeted, but we would not have known anything. Even if we asked him if things were alright, he would say yes. If anything was bothering him he would not come out and say anything. He never even went to the police because he just was not that kind of person, but he was fed up of being harassed” An autopsy revealed that Lewis was shot 14 times, and one of those bullets was to his head.

Newsday attempted to get a response from relatives of Marshall, but they refused to speak to members of the media.

The murder toll now stands at 311