Police probe death of 9-year-old in drive-by shooting in Trinidad

SOURCE: CMC –Police say they will leave no stone unturned as they investigate the murder of nine- year-old Jamal Modeste in Chaguanas, Central Trinidad, on Saturday night.

“Over the years the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service has invested resources in the Enterprise area and will continue to work and partner with members of the community,” said Acting Commissioner of Police Erla Christopher.

“Additionally, the TTPS will render assistance to the distraught family during this traumatic time through our Victim and Witness Support Unit,” she said, appealing to “anyone who has information that could assist, please come forward. Help us, so justice can be served, to give some semblance of closure and relief to a grieving family,” she said.

Police said that several shots were fired from a white panel van in the vicinity of the basketball court at the African Grounds and that the nine-year-old was struck by the gunfire and taken to the Chaguanas Health Facility where he succumbed to his injuries.

Police said that the white panel van was reportedly stolen at gunpoint earlier on Saturday.

They have not disclosed any motive for the killing.

So far this year, Trinidad and Tobago has recorded 463 murders as compared with 320 for the same period last year.

Last year the country recorded 448 murders.

Meanwhile, police said they had seized 16 high-powered rifles, five pistols, several thousand rounds of ammunition as well as TT$ $2.6 million (One TT dollar=US$01.6 cents) worth of marijuana in the Customs Central Bond.

The police said that the goods were seized during “another successful intelligence-led exercise” where officers intercepted an international crime network, which resulted in the seizure of a large quantity of firearms, ammunition, and narcotics.

“These seizures were as a result of months of meticulous intelligence gathering and surveillance by a dedicated team of officers attached to an intelligence unit in the TTPS,” said Acting Police Commissioner Mc Donald Jacobs

The police said that last Friday officers of the Central Division, in collaboration with officers of the Customs and Excise Division, acting on intelligence information, conducted searches at a bond in the Central Division.

They said they seized the drugs, ammunition and guns as well as several component firearm parts hidden in two barrels.

The police said no one was arrested and investigations are continuing.