Griffith: We did not draw first blood

POLICE Commissioner Gary Griffith said his police officers "did not draw first blood" in the shooting at Big Yard, Carenage, in which three people including schoolgirl Naomi Nelson, 14, was killed.

Speaking at today's weekly press briefing at Police Administration Building in Port of Spain, Griffith extended his condolences to law-abiding citizens who lost loved ones during the shooting. Griffith said there was a war out there where gangs were shooting against gangs and against police in unmarked vehicles.

He said while everyone was pointing fingers at the police for the deaths of the three people, no on mentioned that one of his officers was shot at. He said the only thing that saved the officer's life was the bullet proof vest he was wearing at the time.

Griffith called on the public to draw their own conclusion as to who shot the girl if the police were shooting north and she was south of the officers.

He said there have been several shootings in this area with gangs shooting against gangs, but no one put up road blocks or protested because it seemed there was no cause for concern. Griffith said people were concerned when unmarked police vehicles went into communities. He said if this was the case, he promised to acquire 50 more unmarked vehicles and flood the area.