Nine murders in 5 days

Nine people have already been murdered within the first five days of this year. Six had been recorded during the same period last year. Five people were murdered between Tuesday evening and Thursday evening — nine in five days. Dead are Ray Neptune, 21, of Egypt Village, Point Fortin; Anthony Clement, 35, alias “Belch,” of Woods Alley, Morvant; Dwayne Dunbar, 30, alias “Peng,” of Building 74-76, Apartment L, Nelson Street, Port-of-Spain, and Anthony George, 37, alias “Blacks” of Bascome Trace, Never Dirty, Morvant. At 3 pm yesterday, the body of kidnap victim, Aranjuez businesswoman Samdaye Rampersad, was found in Claxton Bay, while police were investigating the motive behind the killing of a Nelson Street man known only as Fruity.

Police believe the shooting of Fruity is related to the killing of Peng two days before. The men lived just three buildings apart. Fruity was shot dead at 6 pm. While observing Fruity’s twitching body, angry residents threatened the officers on the scene, forcing them to take the body to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Neptune was shot on November 17 and died at the San Fernando General Hospital on Tuesday evening. Clement, a Whe Whe punter, was shot dead at 6.45 pm on Gofor Trace, off  Pitch Road, Morvant, also on Tuesday evening while returning from collecting a Whe Whe payout.

Three hours later, former convict and murder suspect Dwayne Dunbar was shot dead while liming with friends at the corner of Prince and Nelson Streets, Port-of-Spain. According to reports, two men ran up and started firing. Dunbar’s friends ran to safety, as the known drug-pusher collapsed dead. When Newsday visited the family’s home, they would only say, “he done dead already. We have nothing to say.” Police sources told Newsday that Dunbar had a number of matters pending before the courts for robbery, firearm, drug possession and other related charges. He was also a suspect in the murder of former Muslimeen member Andre Nichols Bynoe, who was shot dead at Beetham Estate on New Year’s Day.

Visiting the scene were ASP Rodriguez, Insp Boyce, Sgt Stewart, Cpl Brown, PC Ransom and Cpl Kemlon Francis of the PoS Homicide Bureau, who are investigating. Homicide officers are also investigating the murder of Never Dirty resident Anthony George, who was shot dead on Wednesday night at Chaconia Avenue, Morvant. According to reports, Task Force officers responded to a report of a man brandishing a gun at Pitch Road, Morvant at 4.30 pm. The officers confronted the man who ran across the Lady Young Road shooting at them. The officers followed and the man sought refuge in some bushes in a place known as “the reservoir.” Another batch of officers arrived and surrounded the area, and called out to the gunman.

The gunman, later identified as Jason Batson of Never Dirty, Morvant, came out shooting and the cops returned fire. The gunman, in his mid-20s, collapsed from the shots and was rushed to the Port-of Spain General Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police believe Batson was trying to escape through a tunnel in the bush to the Russell Latapy Secondary School on the Lady Young Road, Morvant. Visiting the scene were Snr Supt Travajo, Supt Trim, Insp Hilaire and officers of the Task Force. Meanwhile, police are monitoring the condition of Leandre Ramdhan, 25, of Poui Street, Morvant, who was shot at 7 pm Wednesday night at Lespinet Street, Morvant. He is warded in a satisfactory condition.