Glencoe residents shaken after double murder

Residents of Glencoe, northwest Trinidad, say the murders of two men have left them fearful and cautious of their outdoor activities.

The men, Kareem "Cheng" Pierre, 34 and Brandon Luke, 21, were shot dead by men in a Nissan Tiida while speaking with a friend on La Horquette Valley Road, Glencoe, at around 7 pm on Wednesday .

Newsday visited on Thursday morning while homicide investigators spoke with residents and took photos of the crime scene where the men were shot.

Accessible by one road from the Western Main Road that leads to the fishing villages of Point Cumana and Carenage, Glencoe is a residential area consisting mostly of a mixture of upper-middle-class and middle-class housing.

The spot where the men were shot is on the same road as the constituency office of Diego Martin West MP Dr Keith Rowley, and shortly after the La Horquette Children's Playground.

One resident said she has lived there for just over a year, but had never heard of any murders in the area before Wednesday night.

She said she did not know the men personally but recognised them.

"On mornings I would tell them good morning, and on evenings I would tell them good evening. We kept it cordial, but we didn't stand and talk. "Now she's concerned for her own safety, given how close the shooting happened to her home.

"Last night was really scary, because I usually go and walk my dog around 8.30 pm – and then this came and happened.

"After I heard the first five shots I heard something metallic, but I didn't think much of it. But this morning I was moving my dog's bed from the front door where it is, and I saw a bullet inside.

"That's when I thought that this happened a little too close to home."

She said the incident has her nervous and has made her more cautious of going out after dark, but also said crime can happen without warning.

"I would have to do my activities during the day – but then again, there is no set time when something like this can happen."

Along La Horquette Valley Road there were bullet holes in the walls from the shooting.

Newsday spoke to another resident, who said he was also concerned, and the incident had made him more vigilant about his surroundings.

"The police were asking people if they noticed anything strange, like any strange vehicles or anything like that, and honestly, I couldn't tell them if I did, because I don't usually notice anything like that, only my immediate surroundings. But now that this happened, I will have to be more observant."

Newsday tried to speak with the relatives of Brandon Luke, who declined to comment.

Police said a motive for the shooting has not been established as yet.