They were inseparable

Jabari, the fourth of Daniel’s five children, lived with him at Boxhill Trace, Laventille. They even worked together as maintenance personnel at the Port of Spain General Hospital.

Newsday was told Jabari, who had been working there for three years, got the job with the assistance of his father who worked there for decades before retiring.

Relatives said the two were at home on Tuesday when they were called by Avalon Daniel, one of Jabari’s elder brothers.

Avalon said he called Jabari because he had gotten in an accident on Picton Road with a garbage truck.

“I was coming up Picton when a rubbish truck with no breaks came speeding down the road and crashed in to me,” Avalon said.

“My car spun around and hit a next car, then the truck fell on two cars and that whole accident caused the road to block. I called my brother and told him how the truck man nearly killed me, so he and my father came down.” Avalon said the car which he was driving, a blue Nissan Wingroad, was actually owned by Jabari. He had two Wingroad cars and he gave Avalon the blue to drive while he kept the red one. He said he was taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital and registered at the accident and emergency department.

While there, he heard the news about his brother and father being shot dead. Avalon said he did not believe it at first because he had just left them at the site of the accident.

“I went outside and saw the police taking my brother out of their vehicle. He was full of bullet holes. Then I pulled up in the front room and I saw my father lying there dead, dead, dead.” Avalon said he looked on as doctors tried to stabilise Jabari but he died despite their best efforts.

Police say Jabari and Fitzroy were driving on Picton Road when gunmen surrounded their vehicle near Pump Trace. The men fired several shots at the car hitting Fitzroy, who was in the passenger’s seat, several times. He slumped over in his seat. Jabari jumped out of the car and ran but was chased and also shot.

Relatives told Newsday they believe they were killed because of a turf war between rival gangs. Newsday was told the area where they lived is considered an area controlled by gang members who are at war with those controlling Picton Road and the surrounding areas.

Family members said Jabari, the father of a five-year-oldboy, and Fitzroy were never involved in any gang activity and they were accustomed going into the area to visit family. They were described as hard-working, loving and humble men.

Afraid for his life, Avalon who lived at Dan Kelly, off Picton Road, told reporters yesterday he has already left the area.

“If they can kill my brother who is me? The men who do this is men who know me good and know that is my brother. That is real failure thing (sic).” No arrests have been made up to press time yesterday.