Two killed in Laventille and Diego Martin

By Nalinee Seelal

The murders of two men in Laventille and Diego Martin on Sunday pushed the murder toll to 64 for the year thus far.

In the first incident a Diego Martin man was killed on his return from a beach lime with friends and relatives on Sunday afternoon.

According to reports, Kendal Dowden 39 of Season Trace, Bagatelle, Diego Martin, returned from a beach lime around 5 pm on Sunday and was at home unpacking wet clothes when he was called out of his home by a man known to him.

Dowden went to the front of his house and was seen speaking with a man while another man sat in a white Tida car.

During the conversation several loud explosions were heard by Dowden’s relatives who rushed to the front of the house just in time to see the driver of the white Tida fleeing the scene with the gunman.

Dowden succumbed to his injuries shortly after being shot several times.

Police investigators said yesterday that the driver of the getaway car abandoned the vehicle a short distance away after he experienced a tire blowout.

The vehicle was removed by homicide officers and yesterday it was revealed that the vehicle bore false number plates.

It was traced to Econo Car rentals from Cocorite and yesterday police were trying to ascertain who rented the vehicle to assist them in their investigations. Investigators believe that Dowden’s death was gant related and his death was a planned hit.

In the second incident

6.50 pm on Sunday the victim Junior Weeks 36 of Ashley Street, Laventille was at Bugler Trace Laventille when several shots rang out.

Weeks fell on the roadway suffering from gunshot wounds.

Residents of the area were alerted to rapid sounds of gunfire and went to the area of the shooting where they saw Weeks in a pool of blood.

The injured man was rushed to the Port-of-Spain General hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Homicide officers are continuing investigations.