[UPDATED] Relatives: Laventille man killed for not choosing sides in gang war

The relatives of Kerry Baird, 34, who was killed on Henry Street on April 13, said he was murdered after he refused to choose sides in an ongoing gang war in the area.

Speaking with the media at the Forensic Science Centre in St James, a female relative said Baird spoke and limed with everyone in the area.

She said Baird was upset, though, after one group of men told him he had to “pick a side.”

She said he refused and told them he was a father of a six-year-old girl and wanted to focus on being a good father.

“He realised that kind of life does only end one way – is either jail or death – and he didn’t want that. His daughter was his everything and he said he want to live for her.”

She said Baird got a full-time job as a security guard, worked in construction on the side and stopped liming with the men, who were affiliated with a gang.

“He refused to link with certain guys and he just cut them off. He showed them that he chose to work and make money, and what they chose to do, he didn’t want to be on that.”

The relative said Baird decided to cut ties with some of the people he limed with in Upper Laventille, but this came at a cost.

Baird became a target and the relative said it wasn’t long before gunmen shot at him.

“They wanted to get rid of him because he cut them off…Since he separated himself from them, they see him as an enemy. He used to hang out with them and he realised it wasn’t making any sense, because the life them living was going to make him die.”

The relative said his determination to stay on the straight and narrow was what led to his death.

After the attempt on his life Baird moved out of the area, but the relative believed the same people tracked him down and shot him near his workplace on April 13.

“He decided to want to change his life and his friends and just stick to himself and work and see about his daughter. She made him make a big change.

“But changing his life and his friends led to his death.”

She said since his death she keeps replaying voice notes she received from him and listens to them “over and over.”

The relative said the shooting has left the family rattled and she is now prepared to leave Trinidad and Tobago.

“It making me feel to migrate. I feel to leave my government job and just go. Because it's like as you turn, is somebody (grieving). If it's not somebody I know, now it's me who feeling it now.

“It is sad, really sad. It hurts. You look over your shoulder every time. People just don't care about life any more. They don’t care.”

Baird was the only breadwinner in his household and she said his death has affected his entire family emotionally and financially.

“(His daughter) is in second year. She just turned six on April 1 and they killed her Daddy days after. We have to see about her now and help her mother buy books and buy food and stuff.”

She urged gang members to stop the violence.

“It don’t make sense killing one another. Everybody just losing their life and then leaving relatives to grieve. That don't make no sense.”

She said love is the solution to the ongoing gang wars.

“Where there's no love, there's no hope. And it ought to start with the future, which is the younger children. Parents need to show love to the children. Love is the answer, because if from small, if they don't know what love is, they wouldn't have love to give when they get older. So love is the answer.”

Calling on the parents of young children to raise them right, the relative said without love, people will lack care and compassion.

“It have to start with the generation now for us to have a better future. We need to show love to our children and support them fully.

“When you're done work, go home to your children. Don’t study to hang out with your friends while your children need cuddling and physical love. Hugs and kisses. Tell them every day you love them.

“The people that acting out now, they don't know what love is. If you're lacking love, it’s monsters you’re creating. Without love, it’ll be hate. So it's only hatred in them, and they wouldn't have no compassion or mercy. You cannot give something you don't have.”

A senior police source told Newsday Baird’s story is the reality for some people in certain communities throughout the country.

The source said, “Murders in which the probable cause is listed as gang-related also includes, from time to time, persons who refuse to join or create affiliations with gangs.”

The mother of Mosi Ross, who was shot dead on Charlotte Street on March 2, believes he was killed because he didn’t want to join a gang.

On January 1, Adundi "Stems" Telemaque was shot and killed and his mother also alleged it was because he refused to join a neighbourhood gang.

This story was originally published with the title "Man killed after 'locking off bad-boy friends'" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

The relatives of Kerry Baird, who was killed on Henry Street on April 13, said he was murdered after he decided to “lock off his bad-boy friends.”

Speaking with the media at the Forensic Science Centre in St James, a female relative said Baird was the father of a six-year-old girl and had decided to “live his life for her.”

She said Baird got a job as a security guard and stopped liming with friends who were involved in questionable activities.

“He realised that kind of life does only end one way. Is either jail or death, and he didn’t want that. His daughter was his everything, and he said he want to live for her.”

The relative said after he decided to cut ties with some people he limed with in Upper Laventille, he was shot at.

After the shooting, Baird moved out of the area, but the relative said the same people tracked him to his workplace and shot him nearby.

She said the shooting has left the family rattled, and she is now prepared to give up her job and migrate.

She said she believes there will be justice, as there are several cameras in the area and the men who shot Baird were not wearing masks.