George St murder victim’s husband: ‘Social media doing more harm than good’

The husband of 52-year-old Lystra Hernandez-Patterson, who was killed in a drive-by shooting at the Blanchisseuse taxi stand on George Street, Port of Spain on December 31, says people need to change their mindset for things to get better in this country.

Hernandez-Patterson was in a maxi taxi when four men drove up and started shooting with high-powered rifles. She was shot in the heart from behind. Several other people were wounded.

Three of the four men involved in the drive-by shooting were, moments later, killed in a shootout with police near the Central Market in Port of Spain. Police are still looking for the fourth man.

Lyndon Patterson, the dead woman’s husband, told Newsday at her funeral on Friday at the Covenant House of Praise on Henry Street, Port of Spain, he did not feel justice was served although his wife’s killers are dead.

“No, I am not comforted. While the police work really hard to curb the crime situation in this country, people need to change. When you have someone living by you, you must know about them. What they are doing, where they are going, when they coming and what is taking place in their daily routine. As a parent you must know what is taking place in your home.”

Patterson said it is difficult for him to believe parents who say they do not know their child or children are involved in crime.

"I am a member at the Defence Force for the past 39 years and I never imagined this would have happened.”

People do not speak out about these things, he said.

"All they do is push the negatives on social media. Social media has a lot to do with how people treat others. Because when people put things out there, it adds more grief and sorrow to families."

He discovered this himself the day his wife was killed.

“I was at the hospital waiting for the doctors to speak to me, thinking she was still alive – but instead I got a call from someone in New York telling me my wife was dead. People were already posting pictures on social media. I was right there and no one told me nothing.”

Patterson said people need to be more concerned about posting negative images and statements on social media because it creates more harm than good.

“When a body is on the ground, people no longer take a T-shirt to cover it, but instead take out a cellphone to post a picture.”

Patterson said his wife would always be remembered as a loving, caring and respectful person at home, work and within the community.