THERE was shock, sorrow and anger following the shooting death of nine-year-old Jamal Modeste, whose only "crime" was to be playing innocently at a recreation ground on Saturday night, when gunmen arrived with murderous intent.
Shock and sorrow ran through Jamal's immediate family while these two emotions were joined by anger among social media users who reacted to the child's death.
For her part, Germaine Modeste, 74, was asking why police were not around to prevent the death of her great grandson who was shot in the back as he turned to run away when the gunmen opened fire from inside their car on people liming at the recreation ground before speeding off.
The recreation ground is not too far from the Enterprise Street, Enterprise, Chaguanas home of little Jamal.
According to a police report, at around 8.20 pm on Saturday, several shots were fired from a white panel van near the basketball court at the African Recreation Grounds in Enterprise.
Jamal was struck by a bullet in his back and fell to the ground. He was taken to the Chaguanas Health Centre where he died while being treated. The panel van was stolen at gunpoint earlier on Saturday.
When Newsday visited Jamal's home at Enterprise Street, Modeste was in a state of utter disbelief over his murder as relatives and neighbours came to the house to express their condolences.
She said Jamal liked playing at the nearby African recreation grounds with his friends. The grounds comprise a football field, basketball court, and play area for children. A football match was taking place at the time of the shooting on Saturday night while a concert was supposed to be held at the basketball court shortly after the game.
On Sunday, the area was deserted with the lights surrounding the recreation ground still turned on.
A resident, who did not give his name, said the lights are normally switched off each night. But he added this was forgotten because of what happened on Saturday.
Modeste said the vehicle which was involved in the incident is one which delivered baked goods to residents.
"I really saw the bakery van going down down the road speeding." She said there were sounds of shouting and several gunshots shortly afterwards. "It was gunshots for so in the savannah."
Modeste said there was a big football game in progress at the time. She claimed that 300 people were at the ground and many were children. With such a large gathering, she felt that the police should have been present.
"Where the police and them was? Not a police in sight," she cried.
[caption id="attachment_980922" align="alignnone" width="676"] SHOT DEAD: Schoolboy Jamal Modeste, nine, who was killed in a drive-by shooting at the African recreation grounds in Enterprise, Chaguanas on Saturday night. -[/caption]
Modeste said every time there were football games at the ground, the police were usually present. "But on Saturday night, there were no officers. Where were they last night?"
She said Jamal was playing with his friends when the incident happened. "The fellas and th
