The country reached its second-highest murder toll on record this week, with the total standing at 580 as at December 13.

In 2023, the year-end murder toll reached 577, now third all-time, while 2022 saw the highest ever recorded toll of 605.

TT's 500th murder was recorded October 15.

In context, 500 murders were recorded in under 300 days this year.

In August the country saw its bloodiest month for 2024, with 68 murders being recorded – two more than July, which had 66.

August tied for the second bloodiest month in TT's history with August 2022.

In November 2021 there were 69 murders – the all-time record.

The monthly murder toll has been 60 or more ten times in the past: in January and May of 2018 (60 each); July 2019 (60); November 2021 (69); July (65), August (68) and October (66) of 2022; and in January, (61), July (66) and August (68) of 2024.

However, there has been a steady decline in murders in the last few weeks. In November there were 33 murders recorded which dropped from last year’s monthly toll of 43.

DCP in charge of operations Junior Benjamin spoke to Newsday on December 4 and said the decline in the comparative murder toll over the last weeks had not gone unnoticed and he was hoping to see the decline continue in December.

Benjamin said he was grateful that everyone, including the public, played their part in helping the police achieve the reduction.

He said officers were motivated to see an even larger reduction this month.

“We had just about 30 or so murders compared to what we normally have. It means our plans are working, we are seeing and getting some traction and again we want to continue in that.

“Officers are very much motivated to go out there and to push for a much better December.”

He suggested there was an all-hands-on-deck approach to driving down the murder rate.

TT's 580th murder was recorded when a 39-year-old man was killed in a shooting incident at a bar in Valencia on Thursday night.

The dead man is Dwight "Shafu" Saunders of Palm Road, Valencia Old Road. A 72-year old man was also injured in the incident.

Police said around 9.10pm on December 12 they received a report of gunshots near Clarence Trace.

They got to Bulls Bar five minutes later and saw Saunders, who was identified by his wife, lying on the ground.

He had been shot in the head.

The other man had been shot in the left side of his head and was taken to hospital, where he was listed in a stable condition.

Futher investigations found that two gunmen approached Saunders and shot him while other people outside the bar tried to run for cover.

Police said investigations are ongoing.

The body of a man was also found around 6.30 am on December 13 on the Lady Young in Morvant.

Senior police sources told Newsday around 4 pm on December 13 that the man's body was yet to be identified.

December's murder toll as at December 13 stood at 18, two more than the 2023 figure.

The post Trinidad and Tobago surpasses second-highest murder toll appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsda