A 26-SECONDSvideo posted early Monday morning to social media, by Enrique "SpongeBob" Gill, showing him attending the Stink and Dutty J'Ouvert fete in Tarouba, is what police believe was used by gunmen to find and later ambush Gill, shooting him and two other men while they were in a car heading home from the fete.
When the shooting ended, Gill and another man, who up to press time remained unidentified, were dead in the car, while the third man, identified as Kelvin Mitchell of Longdenville, was taken to hospital and was warded in critical condition up to 5.30 pm.
The deaths of these two men were among six murders to take place in the country between Sunday night and yesterday. There were at least ten murders committed in Trinidad between Friday and Monday.
Mitchell, who suffered gunshot wounds to the back of his neck, is said to be warded at the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH).
Acting Commissioner of Police McDonald Jacob, who visited the scene of the double-murder in Tarouba, told Newsday, “We have enough murder in this country.”
As he lamented several double murders in the northern division, he said the double homicide in Tarouba was related to gang violence and reprisal killings between particular gangs. He said he did not want to identify the gangs at the risk of glorifying them, but added that intelligence was being gathered to deal with them.
Jacob said the Tarouba killings were the seventh and eighth murder in the south where the victims were not from the southland.
“What we are seeing is people being targeted outside of their normal areas of their gang operations. As they leave and go into other areas, they become more vulnerable and accessible."
[caption id="attachment_960770" align="alignnone" width="1024"] CRIME TALK: Acting Police Commissioner McDonald Jacob speaks with Newsday in Tarouba, San Fernando at the scene of a double murder on Monday. PHOTO BY MARVIN HAMILTON -[/caption]
A police report said around 10.40 am on Monday, Highway Patrol Unit 41, including WPC La Barrie and others, responded to a report of an incident along the northbound lane of the Solomon Hochoy Highway opposite the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, where the Stink and Dutty fete was held.
The officers saw a black Toyota Corolla Altis off the road. Upon checking, three men were found, all with gunshot wounds. Two of them including Gill, were dead. The car was riddled with bullets.
Jacob said the Tarouba double murder was definitely linked to gang violence.
“The persons who are deceased were from the Port of Spain area and the information coming to hand is that they were returning from some party at the Brian Lara Stadium and then they were in fact intercepted by another vehicle.
The incident caused a major traffic jam on both sides of the highway as drivers slowed down to take in the scene. Some even parked on the side of the highway and got out to get a closer look.
Jacob confirmed that "important and vital information (has) come to hand, which means we can in fact, solve this double murder.
“We
