RALPH BANWARIE
A popular businessman and money lender was gunned down in the presence of his friends while liming at a bar on Foster Road, Sangre Grande, on Tuesday night.
Christian De Craney, 43, of 84 Foster Road, Sangre Grande, died on the spot after he was shot to the back of his head by a lone gunman at the Express Bar.
De Craney was one of three people killed from Tuesday night into yesterday morning as the murder rate continued to spiral out of control.
Police reported that around 10.20 pm on Tuesday, De Craney had just returned from a football match and decided to lime with friends at the Express Bar when the incident occurred.
He was reportedly sitting on a chair drinking a beer along with his friends when a man dressed in black with his face covered in bandana walked up to De Craney, whipped out a gun and fired two shots at him.
One of the shots hit him in the back of his head and the other in his lower body. De Craney fell off the chair onto the ground and died instantly.
Friends and customers who were present ran for cover, some hiding behind cases while others jumped through the windows or ran into the bushes.
Eyewitnesses later called the Sangre Grande police.
A party of officers, led by ASP Aroon Ramkhelawan and including Insp Ken Lutchman, Sgt Ramlakhan, Cpl Mootital, PCs Hernandez, Baptiste, Cortez, Gadar and WPC Clarke, responded.
On arrival at the bar police found a crowd gathered around the dead man.
The officers immediately dispersed the crowd and cordoned off the area as investigators started searching for evidence.
District Medical Officer Dr Best later viewed the body and ordered its removal to the Sangre Grande District Hospital mortuary, from where it was to be taken to the Forensic Science Centre, St James, for a post mortem.
Investigators said they have no motive for the killing as De Craney, who owned a clothing store, was well known by all and was a friendly and helpful man.
His friends who were at the football match with him were said to be in shock on hearing of his killing.
Cpl Mootilal of Sangre Grande CID is continuing the inquiries.
In the second incident, Akeem Ramdin, 31, of Moraldo Trace, Upper Sam Boucaud, Santa Cruz, was killed near his home early yesterday morning.
Police said Ramdin’s father heard gunshots around 12.30 am but thought it was fire crackers. Ramdin’s body was later found behind his home by his father.
The autopsies for the men will take place today as the pathologist was unable to do them yesterday due to an emergency, the T&T Guardian was told.
The killings have taken the murder toll to 328 for the year, 15 more than the corresponding period last year.