Murders in Arima, Morvant, Claxton Bay keep cops busy

Three people were shot and killed within hours on Friday night in separate incidents at Morvant, Arima and Claxton Bay.

Dead are Paul Kirk, of Claxton Bay, Kester Mc Allister of Morvant and Anil Maraj of Arima.

The latest victim was Kirk, 33, of St John's Trace.

The police said at around 10.35 pm, residents of Gibbs Trace, Sum Sum Hill, in Claxton Bay, heard gunshots and alerted St Margaret's police. Sgt Ifill and PC Persadsingh were among the first responders and saw the victim's body with gunshot wounds at the back of a house.

The police found 18 spent shells of 9mm ammunition and a live round. Homicide Bureau of Investigations (Region III) police, including Cpl Ramoutar, also visited and gathered evidence.

About two hours later, at around 8.40 pm, Maraj was shot at Cairo Lane, off Mausica Road, in Arima, near his home.

Moments earlier, he was at home with relatives and told them he was going to visit a friend in a nearby street. Maraj was walking along the road when a gunman, who was hiding in some bushes, ambushed him, and started shootinghitting Maraj. The shooter ran away.

Residents, including relatives, as well as the police, were alerted. Maraj was taken to the Arima Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

The other killing took place at around 7 pm at Industrial Lane, near Massy Motors, in Morvant. The police said Mc Allister was a patient at the St Ann's Psychiatric Hospital. He was taken to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope, where he died.

Arima and Homicide Bureau of Investigations (Region II) police visited and gathered evidence. The police found four spent shells of 9mm ammunition at the scene.