Man, 35, gunned down on Xmas Day in Pleasantville

A 35-year-old man from Point Fortin was gunned down early Sunday – Christmas Day while visiting and ringing-in the festive holiday at a house in Pleasantville.

Rondell Belgrave, the father of a girl, had her Christmas presents — a water balloon gun, hair braids, and other items — with him, but never got the chance to give her.

Belgrave died at 2.52 am at the San Fernando General Hospital. He had three gunshot wounds to the right-side chest, two to the left chest, and one to the left shoulder.

The shooting happened at a house at Pleasantville Circular.

Reports are, at around 2 am Belgrave was liming and sitting on a bench in the gallery when an unknown man, with a white bandana covering his face, walked up to him.

The man, who had a gun, ordered the other people in the gallery to "move from dey and go inside" before shooting Belgrave.

The gunman ran out of the premises and got into a silver Nissan AD wagon which drove onto Cattleya Drive.

Police investigators gave Belgrave’s address as Point D’or in La Brea.

However, when Newsday visited, none of his relatives were there. People on the compound said a close relative of Belgrave lives there, but he (Belgrave) did not.

Newsday learnt that Belgrave lived in Point Fortin and worked as a salesman – buying and selling cars and parts.

About an hour earlier, Belgrave showed a friend the toys he was carrying for his daughter. He had just had a glass of ponche de creme when the gunman approached them. One person stood in disbelief with his hands in the air, afraid to move. The gunman spared his life.

A Pleasantville resident, who asked to remain unnamed, said, "It is unbelievable. It is shocking. Christmas is usually quiet. I was not feeling the Christmas spirit because I was busy with work. I never expected this. I see these things on the news."

The motive is unknown.

The first responders were PCs Meah and Williams of the Emergency Response Patrol (ERP) unit who were on mobile patrol duty in the Ste Madeleine district.

Insp Jones, acting Cpl Griffith and PCs Moonilal and Jaggesar and other police from the Homicide Bureau of Investigation (Region Three) visited and gathered evidence.

Supt Carty, Sgts Bisnath and Basarath, WPC Fredericks and other Southern Division police also visited.

Acting Cpl Griffith is leading investigations.