Although no arrests have been made in Thursday’s double murder at South Park Mall, investigators are working on the theory that victims’ executions were gang-related. They were obtaining CCTV footage yesterday, but their inquiries so far have revealed that there may have been two shooters.
The Volkswagen Jetta believed to be the getaway vehicle entered the mall’s car park from the entrance close to the Courts store at around 11.36 am.
It left by the same route around 11.44 am, shortly after the shooting, drove up the Tarouba ramp, and turned on to the southbound lane of the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway.
Malik Straker, alias M1 and Molly, 31, of Wallerfield, Arima, and Joel Chambers, 29, of Morvant, were seated in a silver AD wagon in the car park when gunmen riddled the vehicle with bullets. Investigators are looking into whether the wagon was stolen.
An eyewitness told police at around 11.40 am, he was in his car when he heard several explosions and saw a man dressed in a blue T-shirt, his head covered with another T-shirt and armed with a rifle, firing several shots at the front windshield of the silver AD wagon. He said he became afraid and drove off.
When the police arrived on the scene, they noticed that the wagon’s engine was still running, the hazard lights were on, windows were up and doors locked. They contacted the fire service to unlock the doors with a master key.
Chambers, who was in the driver’s seat, was slumped over the gear lever while Straker’s body was stretched across the front passenger and back seats with his head touching the rear seat.
Police saw bullet holes in the front windshield and passenger window and the rear windscreen was shattered.
Crime scene investigators retrieved 17 spent 5.56 caliber casings, 18 spent 9mm caliber casings, a projectile, Chambers’ driving permit and two cellphones.
Investigators said Straker was affiliated with a gang and had intimate knowledge about at least four murders which police believe were also gang-related.
He also had pending matters at the Arima and Sangre Grande Magistrates Courts for kidnapping for ransom, false imprisonment, attempted murder, possession of ammunition and firearm, robbery with aggravation, malicious woundings and common assault.
The police criminal database showed that Chambers was charged in 2018 for malicious damage, marijuana trafficking, dangerous driving, driving without a driver’s permit and without a certificate of insurance.
Investigations are continuing.
