389 murders __3 more shot dead

LAUREL V WILLIAMS and Nalinee Seelal

Multiple murders continue to plague the country, as three more men were killed in separate shootings overnight Friday. Two of the homicides occurred in east Trinidad and the third in south.

Part-time street vendor Deryck “Chicken” Hinds died at the hospital on Friday night after a gunman shot him three times in a dirt track in San Fernando during a robbery.

Hinds, 51, of Thomas Street, San Fernando, was a maintenance worker at the San Fernando City Corporation.

Police said shortly before 7 pm, gunshots rang out near Medine Street, San Fernando. Police from the Homicide Bureau (Region III) responded and discovered Hinds on the ground nursing gunshot wounds to the chest, right hand and right leg. The officers transported him to the San Fernando General Hospital where at about 11 pm, he succumbed to the injuries.

Investigators said a gold chain he was wearing earlier in the day was missing as well as an undisclosed sum of cash. As such, police believe that while walking along the track, located one street away from his home, the bandit accosted Hinds and a struggle ensured. The bandit shot Hinds and made off with the chain and cash.

Residents described Hinds as a “good man” who interfered with no one. The killer remains at large.

Police are calling on anyone with information about the killing to contact Crime Stoppers at 800-TIPS (8477) or the nearest police station.

Also on Friday, around 8.45 pm, Godfrey Alexander, 25, of Diego Martin was driving his B13 car along Pine Avenue, Carapo, when loud explosions were heard.

Alexander was later found by residents slumped in the driver’s seat riddled with bullets.

Northern Division and homicide officers went to the crime scene and cordoned off the area. It remained unclear why Alexander was in Carapo but relatives said they believed he may have taken a wrong turn.

In the third case, at around 2.30 am, Brandon Stephen, 27, of Damarie Hill, Sangre Grande was standing along the main road, when two men got out of a red band maxi taxi and confronted Stephen. One of the men pulled out a gun and shot Stephen several times.

They ran away and passers-by alerted Sangre Grande police. A district medical officer along with homicide officers went to the scene and the body was ordered removed to the Forensic Sciences Centre, St James.

The three killings pushed the murder toll to 389, according to Newsday tally.