Even as the murder toll crossed 500, the acting Commissioner of Police (CoP), McDonald Jacob, urged the police and public to remain resilient in the fight against criminals.
Jacob said one of the significant factors contributing to homicides was the use of high-powered guns. Because of this, the number of double, triple, and quadruple killings has increased.
“We even had incidents where five people were killed. Even though they may be fewer incidents, there is a higher number of the murder figure,” Jacob told Sunday Newsday on Saturday.
Three murders between Friday night and Saturday increased this country’s homicides to 501. On Friday night, Roger Charles, 26, was shot dead in Enterprise, Chaguanas. As of Saturday morning, the latest victims were brothers Elvis Hernandez, 28, and his brother Nirmal Rambaran, 18. Their bodies were found in the Tunapuna cemetery.
Jacob assured that the police are making all efforts to remove guns from the streets and prevent them from entering the country. The police have charged 1,211 people, so far this year, for gun-related offences and have seized 580 guns. Of those, 102 were submachine guns – AR-15s and AK-47s – weapons used by soldiers in war.
“This is the first time in the history of TT the police ever recovered so many high-powered weapons. In fact, the average over the last five to ten years have been 56 per year,” Jacob said.
He gave an example of the impact of such weapons, saying out of 25 shooting incidents, about 90 people were hit.
Jacob said, “Out of those, 65 people lost their lives. In years gone by, out of those 25 incidents, we might have recorded 30 murders.”
Recently, the police have seized several high-powered weapons coming from North America.
Jacob also recalled that three people were charged in the US earlier in the week for exporting illegal guns to TT.
“Our trans-national crime unit is working hand-in-hand with the international agencies, including Homeland Security, and the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Bureau to undermine this network that is operating and sending firearms to TT,” he said.
“In simple words, it is big business. An AK-47 or AR-15 costs between $40,000 to $45,000. A Glock pistol costs about $20,000. A revolver costs about $12,000.”
[caption id="attachment_983231" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Crime Scene Unit officers search for evidence among tombstone at the scene of double murder at the Tunapua public cemetery on Saturday. - ROGER JACOB[/caption]
Jacob said that “somebody, somewhere” is earning millions from the number of illegal guns being sent to TT and other Caribbean countries.
He said he and the executive were very concerned about the murder figure, saying it gives them no solace.
He also called on lawmakers to review the entire aspect of the Bail Bill. The Attorney General has said he planned to review the law and bring new legislation back to Parliament.
“We are simply asking them to give the police service
