[UPDATED] Gunman in Aranguez businessplace – MURDER IN CLOTHES STORE

NORTH Eastern Division police were bracing on Monday night for reprisal shootings and an upsurge in violence after the murder of a sales clerk at his workplace – a clothing store in Aranguez.

Police said they were told “two carloads of gunmen” were targeting people in Malick in a direct response to the murder of Keston Alves hours earlier.

Alves, 38, of Second Caledonia, Malick was killed on Monday afternoon when a gunman ran into the clothing store Threadz and shot him. Alves’ murder, police said, was gang-related.

Police sources said a top member of the ABG gang is the cousin of Alves. That person is currently in remand prison, having been charged with murder.

Alves’ murder, police believe, was in retaliation for the shooting death of Kelum Williams – the nephew of another gang leader – on Sunday afternoon.

Police said 24-year-old Williams left his Upper Sixth Avenue, Malick home to visit a friend who lives nearby when he was shot dead. Williams’s uncle is said to be a senior member of the Rasta City gang.

The ABG and Rasta City gangs, whose origins were in east Port of Spain, are engaged in a deadly conflict as they seek to expand their territory. Police sources said the ABG and Sixx gangs – the latter being a rival of Rasta City – have come to an understanding and are both targeting Rasta City members.

Police confirmed that neither Williams and Alves was involved in criminal activities and they were murdered only because of their relationship to gang members.

Police sources in North Eastern Division said officers were on high alert on Monday night and had stepped up patrols, especially in the Second Caledonia area.

Speaking on Monday afternoon, the owner of the clothes store, who asked not to be identified, said he had been friends with Alves for years and they were planning to celebrate his (the store owner's) birthday later in the evening.

“He was a neat guy, my personal friend for about ten years now. Today is my birthday. We would have stayed right here, buy some beers and had a little lime,” the man said. He added that had he not gone to the bank,and had it not been for an unusually long line there, he too would have been at the store when the gunman came to kill Alves.

The businessman warned, “You have to be vigilant to your surroundings and change up your routine. He was a sales clerk, and the last conversation I had with him was on Sunday, when he told me now that summer is here, we need to bring in different types of clothing to sell.”

The man remained on the scene until Alves' body was removed some three hours after he was shot.

Alves’ killing, according to police, was the 300th for the year – 13 more than for the same period last year.
No arrest has been made in the Alves murder.

Editor's Note: This is an update to a story published earlier online which can be read below:

HOMICIDE detectives went to the scene of a murder in Aranguez on Monday afternoon after a gunman ran into a clothing store and murdered an employee.

Police reported that at about 1.30 pm Keston Alves was at Threadz Internationals on the Aranguez Main Road when he was killed.

Police said his killing was gang-related. They are working on the theory that his killing was in retaliation for the shooting death of a man in Malick on Sunday.

Alves, police said, wass the cousin of a known gang leader who is currently in prison.

On Sunday, the nephew of another gang leader was killed.

The two gangs are warring, police said.

The reprisal came the day after the shooting death of Kelum Williams, who was gunned down near his Upper Sixth Avenue, Malick, home. Police said Williams, 24, went out to visit a friend and was ambushed and killed.

This story was originally published with the title "Man killed at work in Aranguez in 'revenge hit'" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

HOMICIDE detectives went to the scene of a murder in Aranguez on Monday afternoon after a gunman ran into a clothing store and murdered an employee.

Police reported that at about 1.30 pm Keston Alves was at Threadz Internationals on the Aranguez Main Road when he was killed.

Police said his killing was gang-related. They are working on the theory that his killing was in retaliation for the shooting death of a man in Malick on Sunday.

Alves, police said, was the cousin of a known gang leader who is currently in prison.

On Sunday, the nephew of another gang leader was killed.

The two gangs are warring, police said.

The reprisal came the day after the shooting death of Kelum Williams, who was gunned down near his Upper Sixth Avenue, Malick, home. Police said Williams, 24, went out to visit a friend and was ambushed and killed.