Maraval residents weep for ‘Papa’

PEOPLE were seen weeping yesterday for Shaquille “Papa” Eugene, who was shot dead just before midday in Maraval.

Eugene was killed by gunmen in a silver SUV while trying to drive out onto Morne Coco Road.

Several residents gathered at the spot as crime scene investigators collected evidence. Standing beyond the police tape, they were consoling each other and weeping.

While there was little information on the incident, Newsday understands at about 11.53 am Eugene was driving out of an empty lot onto Morne Coco Road in his Hyundai Elantra, when the SUV pulled up in front him. The occupants riddled his car with bullets. Another man, who has not been identified, was wounded and was taken to hospital where he remains in serious condition.

Police said the shooting may be connected to the July 25 murder of Vaughn “Sandman” Mieres, his wife Alita Shelly-Ann Dehere and two other men. Gunmen stormed Mieres’ Las Cuevas home and shot him and the three others several times.

On July 19 two other men were killed near the basketball court at around the same time. They were identified as Ian Sharpe and Keon Timothy.

In that incident, the two men were liming near the basketball court when a car drove by and its occupants shot them several times.

They were both taken to hospital where they died.