SHOT AND BURNT: Schoolboy, PH driver killed in ambush

The deaths of a form two student and a PH driver in Morvant yesterday have taken the murder toll to 21 after a mere nine days in the year.

Morvant Laventille Secondary School student, 14-year-old Joshua Andrews, and PH taxi driver Devon Hernandez were yesterday killed by gunmen after the taxi driver’s gold Elantra car was riddled with bullets. One of the bullets hit the gas tank which resulted in the car being burnt with Andrews and Hernandez still inside.

Two other students of the same school, who were also in the car at the time of the shooting, were wounded and were taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital.

At about 3.05 pm, police received a report of several gunshots being heard at Pelican Extension, Morvant.

Newsday was told Hernandez picked up the students from their school at Pelican Extension and were taking them home when they were intercepted by another car with the gunmen.

The gunmen shot up the car before speeding off. Andrews, who was in the front passenger seat, and Hernandez were shot multiple times.

The two schoolboys who were in the back seat, were also shot. Police said one was shot in the face, and another in his hand, severing one of his fingers.

Residents, upon hearing the gunshots, peeked outside to see what was going on and found the car engulfed in flames. The two surviving passengers were taken to hospital.

When members of the Fire Service arrived, they outed the fire and found the charred remains of Andrews and Hernandez in the car.

When Newsday arrived on the scene, police had already cordoned off the area and were awaiting crime scene investigators to start processing.

Curious and concerned onlookers told Newsday they could not believe the loud explosions they heard could have really been gunshots.

“If you hear how these gunshots sounded,” said an elderly resident in the area. “They were rattling off like fireworks. When I heard it I could not believe that it was shooting people were shooting.”

While police were processing the scene, Andrews’ relatives arrived and police confirmed his death to them. Newsday overheard the exchange between Andrews’ sister, Krystal, and a police officer.

She asked the police officer, who was talking to reporters at the time about the other two wounded teens, about the fate of her brother.

“Is one of the boys in hospital my brother?” Krystal asked the police officer.

The police officer asked for her brother’s name. When she gave it, the police officer paused and told her she may need to sit down. She broke down in tears and put her head on the shoulder of another female relative who did her best to console her, although it seemed as though she herself was about to break down.

In a brief phone conversation, Krystal confirmed that the person in the car was her brother. She told Newsday he was preparing for his first day back to school the night before, but did not want to go. She said he might have changed his mind, or may have been convinced to go to school.

In a release sent to the media yesterday, National Security Minister Edmund Dillon condemned the murders and extended condolences to the families of the victims.

“All law enforcement agencies are in direct and active engagement, and together send a stern warning to the perpetrators that they will be found and made to feel the brunt of the law. A no holds barred approach will be taken by law enforcement to protect our law abiding people from the criminal elements and gang activity. No effort will be spared. No stone will be left unturned.“