Residents of Aboud Circular, St James, are calling on police to look into one man, they claimed is behind the spike in murders and shootings in the area.

The latest involved 29-year-old Jamal Jones who was fatally shot while standing in front of his home on Wednesday afternoon.

Police said Jones was at his home at around 12.45 pm when he saw a man, known to him, shooting a gun in the air.

Jones approached and asked the man to stop, but instead, he shot Jones before running away.

Relatives heard the gunshots and took Jones to the St James Infirmary, where he died at around 1.05 pm during emergency surgery.

Jones’ relatives believe he was killed because he tried to resolve ongoing gang violence between the shooter and another gang in the area.

When Newsday visited the scene the victim’s relatives were inconsolable. On hearing the news of Jones’ death, a female relative ran outside screaming “Allyuh kill him eh! Allyuh kill him!”

One other man in the yard escaped without harm. He told Newsday he hid behind a nearby concrete wall.

Jones' mother, who wished not to be named or for her son's photo to be used in the newspaper described her son as a man of peace.

She said he had done nothing to be killed in this way. “I grew him up in church, he did all the construction home here, and he was talented with his hand.”

She said his death was a serious blow to the family.

Residents explain that they are becoming fearful as they believe the man, who is around 25 years, is the head of a new and growing gang and has been reciting younger men.

Another resident who also didn’t want to be named said, “I don’t know why police don’t do something about this pest. They just threatening people or shooting and injuring people.”

The residents said the man was not from Trinidad and Tobago and moved to the area six years ago.

There was a heavy police presence at the scene on Wednesday evening when Newsday arrived and several men were arrested during a stop-and-search exercise.

One officer told Newsday the shooter was known to them and had been arrested and charged for possession of a firearm, on several occasions.

Jones was the ninth person killed on Wednesday.

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