Four people were murdered in separate incidents yesterday over a seven-hour period, pushing the number of people killed since Thursday to six.
Among those shot dead yesterday are a robbery victim, the victim of a bar brawl and a man who was walking his three-year-old nephew to a shop.
Dead are Isaiah Hospedales, 22, Jude Corbie, 23, and 50-year-old Alston Hamlet.
Hospedales’ mother, Avian, always warned him about wearing big gold chains because she feared that they would attract unwanted attention to him.
As it turned out, she was right.
Hospedales, 22, was yesterday morning shot dead by a gun-toting bandit who took his chain while he was walking along Ariapita Avenue.
While Hospedales lay on the pavement fighting for his life, he was robbed even further by people pretending to help him.
Hospedales’ gold band, gold ring and Apple iPhone were also stolen.
Around 5.50 am, yesterday, Hospedales was walking along Ariapita Avenue when he was approached by a gunman near Alfredo Street.
Ariapita Avenue has become a popular liming spot in the country and Hospedales’ shooting came in daylight with people still around. Hospedales was shot three times and the gunman escaped in a waiting vehicle.
Hospedales was rushed to the hospital where he eventually died.
Video footage of Hospedales lying on the pavement was yesterday posted on Facebook.
Hospedales was a student at the T&T Hospitality and Tourism Institute (TTHTI) and also worked at his family’s catering business.
The Sunday Guardian yesterday visited the family’s Aranguez home.
Hospedales was described as a “loving and respectful young man” who was “full of confidence” by his family.
Hospedales’ father, Robin, said his son’s “only vice is that he liked himself.”
“He never used to go places where he felt that things he wore would cause him harm because I saw him last week with the big chain and I did not tell him anything about it. I know his mother always used to tell him about it, and other people who were concerned, that wearing that would attract unwanted attention toward him,” Robin said.
“It was shocking to me because I know he does not venture into places where bad things will happen,” he said.
Robin said his son “loved life” and was Avian’s “eyeball.”
Avian said she will forever love her only son.
The latest shooting to take place yesterday occurred at 8.15 am in Belmont.
According to reports, Corbie was walking with his three-year-old nephew along Pelham Street in Belmont to a nearby shop when he was approached by a gunman.
The gunman opened fire and Corbie died on the spot.
Snr Supt Mc Donald Jacob said investigators are working on the theory that Corbie’s killing was linked to a recent dispute he had with another man.
Corbie’s nephew was not injured in the shooting.
The first of the shootings to take place yesterday happened in Arima following a bar brawl.
According to reports, Hamlet was at Pro Bar along Malabar Branch Road, when he got into a confrontation with two men.
The confrontation is said to have stemmed from advances made by Hamlet to a female patron of the bar.
Following the confrontation the two men are said to have left the scene.
They, however, returned a short while later and allegedly shot Hamlet.
The men escaped and Hamlet died on the spot.
Apart from these three shooting deaths, detectives are also investigating the report of another homicide in Chaguanas.
Around 6.30 am, yesterday, officers of the Chaguanas Police Station received information that the body of a man was discovered in the living room of his Yard Street, Chaguanas, home.
The man was found lying on the ground and frothing from his mouth.
The district medical officer ruled that there were marks of violence about his body.
These four killings come on the heels of two deaths that took place since Thursday.
Terrence Cain, 45, was shot dead at the Real Steal Bar in De Gannes Village, Siparia, around 3.20 am on Friday.
On Thursday, taxi driver Kurt Levero was stabbed to death in Marabella at 9.20 pm.