REGIONAL: Trinidadian police investigating bloodbath in Tunapuna and St. Augustine

Trinidad and Tobago police were on Wednesday bracing for possible reprisals after eight people were shot and killed along the east west corridor.

“We are preparing for any sort of reprisal that may occur within this division. The division is very volatile given the number of shootings and murders we have been having over the years.

‘However what happened this morning is something we will respond and respond with the necessary force that is required,” said DCP (Operations and Intelligence) McDonald Jacob.

Police said that they had been alerted to the a shooting incident in Arima, east of here early Wednesday where the bodies of Teshera McKenna, 39, and son Jordan McKenna, 19, were found in a car in a morning near  a piece of land where they had been cultivating crops.

The police said that Jeremiah DeFreitas, 18, a friend of the Jordan, was also killed in the attack.

But while the police were processing the crime scene, they received another report that five people had also been murdered in Tunapuna and St. Augustine, east of here.

Police said among those killed were 44-year-old Mustaph Mohammed and Amanda Mohammed, 49. Reports indicate that both had their throats slit and were also shot. The police are also probing the death of 31-year old Caliste Perreira, and Kaliel Jackson. They said another person, Mickey Alleyne was shot on Tuesday.…

“This might appear to be drug related, we are not sure as yet as we continue the investigations we will be able to say something more. At this stage within the division we have eight murders, two females and six males”,” said Jacob.

The police have so far detained three suspects in the murder of Kareem Walters, also known as Pinto boss” who was shot and killed on Monday, hinting that the subsequent shootings may be linked to his murder. His body had been found in a precipice in Maturo, along the east-north coast.

Parliamentary representative for the Tunapuna constituency, Esmond Forde, said he sympathises with the victim’s relatives.

“It’s hard to hear about all of this right now. It’s a sad day for the community. All I can say at this point is to advise the young men to stay away from crime. I will continue to do my best as the MP to organise whatever relief I can, whether through social support or trying to encourage more jobs,” he told the NEWSDAY newspaper.