[UPDATED] Two teens among three killed in Laventille shooting

A Tobago man is alive, though in critical condition, after he was shot several times in Laventille on Monday morning.

Contrary to earlier reports, three separate senior police sources have now confirmed that Joshua Francis and Shervon Charles, both 17, and Keston Bailey, 31, were killed in the attack.

Newsday originally reported Anthony Bacchus of Tobago, 32, was killed, but sources later clarified he was alive on Tuesday afternoon.

Another man identified as Josiah Francis and a 17-year-old boy also survived.

Police said gunmen in a black Nissan Note drove into Despers Drive, Desperlie Crescent, Laventiille and fired shots in the air and at houses at around 11 am.

A gunman got out of the car and walked into a nearby house ,where he shot Francis, Charles, Bailey and three other men before getting back into the car and driving off.

Police from the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF), the Port of Spain Task Force, Besson Street CID and homicide investigators went to the area where they found several spent shells of different calibres of ammunition.

Police suspect the murders were related to another murder in Laventille last week.

Newsday visited the area on Tuesday and tried to speak with relatives of those killed or injured, but no one was at the house.

Residents said murders were relatively commonplace in and around the community, but Monday's was the most violent incident that happened in recent time.

"It's really sad to know these were children we saw grow up before our very eyes. I'm sure those youths weren't involved in anything illegal.

"I have one child, that's my son: he's 27 years old and he doesn't come out at all.

"This is the worst we've seen. There were one or two murders here and there, but this is without a doubt the worst."

Another resident said he was disappointed in the response of the police after the murders, noting they took place relatively close distance to an IATF post. He said there was no excuse for such a slow response time to the killings and residents were living in fear and deserved a better quality of service from the police.

"It have a (police) post there. Look the Laventille West MP's office
(Fitzgerald Hinds) is right there. Why is crime so high around here?

"For too long Laventille people have been living in fear. In fear of everything.

"If you come to the Laventille taxi stand around 5 pm on any day, you will see it's piled up with cars and passengers, because drivers are pulling off. People are afraid to walk the streets.

"Why do we have to live like this when we have an MP who happens to be the National Security Minister?"

Another resident argued that the police were not responsible and felt the community should also accept responsibility for the state of crime

"We should be the ones to blame. Why did those fellas killing like that?

"For what reason would you kill two little boys? The police is trying to do their job. People up here need to understand: stop the killing. It's years we living here, and we know how it works."

The residents suggested that rather than mobile patrols, the police should focus on static or stationary exercises, parking in areas and streets that are prone to violence.