Barbados Today

PORT OF SPAIN –– Enterprise, Chaguanas resident Patrick Isles was killed because he saw the gunman who killed Sylvan Alexis in front of his home at Francois Street last Friday.

This was the belief of Isles’ relatives yesterday. A close female relative, who did not want to be identified, said after Alexis was killed, he (Isles) told her he would not live past yesterday because he had a gut feeling gunmen would come after him because they knew he could identify Alexis’ killer.

Isles was attending Alexis’ wake on Monday night when a gunman walked up to him and opened fire around 10:15 p.m. Isles attempted to run after he was shot but slumped onto the roadway at the corner of Palm Drive and Francois Street where he died. Two others who were standing nearby – Selwyn Warner and Roy Browne, were wounded in the attack.

Warner and Browne were taken to the Chaguanas Health Facility where they were treated. Warner remained hospitalised yesterday while Browne was discharged.

A relative of one of the wounded men, who wished not to be identified, said he could not handle the situation.

“I could have been killed here tonight [Monday night] and my brother could have been killed, but nobody not taking us on here, nobody going all out to protect us out here. This is too much, too much to bear.”

Another resident, who seemed intoxicated, on spotting a police vehicle, began shouting at the police that he would get a weapon and shoot everyone he thought was responsible for the murders and shootings.

“All yuh police is stupidy. All yuh not protecting we at all. We have to get up and do for we self.”

The man’s relative was also shot and wounded on Monday night, the T&T Guardian was told.

The man was eventually held by the police and placed in the vehicle. One officer said he would have been left to cool down and released without any charge as they understood the emotional state the man was in.

Isles was the second murder victim after Alexis, who was the brother of reputed gang leader Selwyn “Robocop” Alexis, who was himself killed last year on July 17 while at his business place at Freedom Street in Enterprise.

On Sunday, Marvin Allan was gunned down as he came out his vehicle at John Street, Enterprise.

Investigating officers believe all three murders were related although it was said that Alexis’ murder was the a result of a robbery gone sour.

However, residents in the area strongly believe all murders and shootings are gang related and added that they suspect the rival gang in the Crown Trace area – the Unruly Isis – are responsible for the escalating gang warfare in the area.

“It is a known fact that when Robocop was killed that the Unruly’s were responsible and they said that his entire family would be wiped out and all who were close to Robocop, that they all will be killed. So all these killings are really no surprise to us because it was said that it will happen. It is now that we have to worry about who is next,” one resident said.

Another resident, who has lived in the area for the past 45 years, called for the immediate intervention of soldiers and for a special unit police to be posted on every street and every corner of Enterprise.

“All these shootings and murders getting too ridiculous and it has to stop now and the only way that could happen is if these young men who carry guns see that the police and soldiers not making any joke and they would not be allowed to escape,” the elderly resident said.

On Monday night after Isles’ murder, police were seen stationed at John Street and Francois Street. However, the officers said they were not sure how long they would be stationed there.

Yesterday there were several reports of gunfire throughout the day and police officers on patrol confirmed they received those reports but found this to be people were shooting up in the air in different areas in Enterprise.