Head of the Central Division Snr Supt Kenny Mc Intyre said it will take more than the police to stymie the escalating murder toll, as four of the eight reported killings over the Christmas weekend took place in his area.
Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, Mc Intyre said the four murders, three of which stemmed from a triple killing classified as a domestic crime “dampened” the efforts of the Christmas patrols by his officers.
He said while the police are incapable of predicting crimes such as the triple murder as they focused their patrols on repeated offenders.
“These things put anarchy and fear in my division and this is the last thing I want. Nevertheless, it happened and I spoke with my juniors and seniors to get a handle on this. We have made some headway in the two separate incidents but it is in the hands of the Homicide Bureau but we are assisting when and where we can,” Mc Intyre said.
He said crime was a social issue and his officers have been speaking with residents about anger management and other issues that often result in violence.
Mc Intyre said the investigations into the two incidents that claimed four lives are at a sensitive stage but assured that they will be solved. He advised citizens to assist police in their fight against crime saying that it is a national issue that needed to be addressed and not solely by the police.
Roberta James, 27, Keston James, 28 and Wellington Thomas, 31 were shot dead while asleep at a small board house at Bridal Road, Jerningham Junction, Cunupia last Saturday.
Police suspect that a man related to James can help solve the murders.
On Wednesday, Isaiah Mitchell, 19, was gunned down outside the Jungle Fever pool party along Deonarine Junction Mc Bean, Couva.
The other murder took place in the Northern Division where the body of an unidentified man was found lying at the side of the road at Las Lomas #3 last Friday.
On Christmas night, Port-of-Spain Division recorded one murder after 57-year-old Robert Carrington was killed outside his Nelson Street home. One day later two men were killed in the Western and North Eastern Divisions respectively. Those men were identified as Dwayne Knights, 31, killed at Diego Martin Akeil Mannette, 23, killed in Aranjuez.
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Last night, homicide officers were called out for yet another murder after a Laventille man was shot dead at Buller Trace, Laventille.
The dead man was identified as Assim “Boots” Peters. Police said the killing took place around 8 pm.
The latest killing has taken the number of people killed for the year to 492, according to police.