The year started off on a peaceful note, with no murders for the first two days, but yesterday the killing spree that afflicted the country last year was resumed. Four men were killed in separate incidents, three of which police said were gang-related. Curtis "Garlic" Grant, 44, became this year's first murder victim. Police reports state that Grant, of Rambaju Street in Aranguez, San Juan, was beaten to death after he was accused of selling stolen celery.
It was said Grant had stolen the bundles of celery earlier from a garden in Aranguez, and was caught by the owner. He was confronted and beaten about the head with a piece of wood. He tried to escape the beating, but collapsed and died between two vending stalls. The killing occurred at about 9.30 am, in full view of customers and vendors. Officers of San Juan/Laventille Municipal Police were called in and arrested a suspect.
Annmarie Matamoro, Grant's sister, admitted to police that her brother was a known drug addict. Vendors interviewed by Police even stated that they were fed up of Grant stealing their goods. The second murder victim was 27-year-old Brent Greene, of Nicholas Street, Carenage. Reports stated that around 1.30 pm Greene, an unlicensed taxi driver, was making his usual trip to Carenage and had just turned off from Western Main Road, into Schuller Street. One of his passengers, police said, pulled out a gun and shot him several times in the head. He died instantly. Other terrified passengers, jumped out of the car and ran to safety.
Investigations are continuing. About 30 minutes after that shooting, 19-year-old Sultan "Beads" King, of Chafford Courts, Port-of-Spain, was shot to death at the corner of Observatory and Quarry Streets. The killing took place in full view of a CCTV camera. According to relatives, King was liming with friends when a group of men approached. One whipped out a gun and shot King twice in chest and once in the head. The men then ran off. King died on the spot. The shooting occurred right in front of the entrance to Port-of-Spain Corporation Divisional Headquarters.
Relatives said the teen was a witness in the killing of Kwamie "Butters" Julien, who was shot at Harpe Place, Observatory Street in September, 2007. Julien was a member of the G-Unit Gang, police claimed. The mother of King's five-month-old child said he was a few days away from christening his baby. She said King was a welder and had recently taken up a job building stalls along the Queen's Park Savannah. In another incident, Sherman Findley was at building No 2 Almond Drive, Morvant, when two cars pulled up alongside him. The occupants then opened fire. Findley was shot eight times about the body, and died at the scene. Morvant police are continuing investigations. Police said the murders of King, Findley and Greene were gang-related.
