Investigators from the Homicide Bureau of Investigations Region II were kept busy up to Wednesday afternoon when they responded to reports of eight murders between Arima and Tunapuna. There was a ninth in St James.
In the first incident police received reports of a triple murder near the George Boyce recreation ground on the Arima Old Road, Arima at around 8.37 am.
Police said Teshera McKenna, 39, and her son Jordan McKenna, 19, were driving in a car when they were confronted by gunmen who blocked their path and started shooting at them.
A family friend identified as Jeremiah DeFreitas, 18, who was standing near the car was also shot and killed during the attack. The gunmen drove away.
Members of the Northern Division Task Force, Arima CID and Homicide Region II visited the scene with a district medical officer who declared the three dead.
Police cordoned off the road leading to the crime scene causing drivers to find an alternate route as some expressed frustration over the inconvenience, while others were shocked to hear about the murders.
One taxi driver, who asked to be identified only as Morris, said he was accustomed working on the Arima Old Road and was concerned for his own safety.
"What would have happened if I happened to be driving right behind that car when those men start to shoot?
"It could have easily been me or one of my passengers. And look at the time this happened too. This is nonsense."
[caption id="attachment_901117" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Some of the relatives of five murder victims console each other as the observe police on upper St John's Road, Tunapuna on Wednesday. - ROGER JACOB[/caption]
Minutes later at 9.05 am police received a report of a shooting in St John's Road, Tunapuna, where three people were shot.
Police said vendor Jasper Jones was at his shop on St John's Road, Tunapuna with Mathew Calliste Pereira and Kaliele Jackson when a white Nissan AD Wagon approached them and five men got out shooting at them.
Jones, 32, died on the scene.
Residents took Pereira and Jackson to the hospital where they died shortly after.
Members of the Northern Division visited the area. While there, they received a report that two bodies were found a short distance away in the same area.
Police went and found the bodies of Mustaph Mohammed, 44, and Amanda Mohammed.
Speaking with reporters at the scene DCP Intelligence and Operations McDonald Jacob said police were considering the possibility that the murders from Arima and those in Tunapuna were related but could not confirm this theory or a possible motive.
"We believe that both sets of murders are connected. The detectives are on the ground and we are preparing for any sort of reprisal that may occur in this division.
"As you know, this division is very volatile in relation to the numbers of shootings and murders over the years. Yes we have enough officers and reinforcement to respond to the situation, howe
