Relatives: Diego double murder victims were not gangsters

HOURS after two men were murdered and another injured during a shooting incident in Diego Martin, police have caught three suspects they believe can assist in their investigations.

Police said around 6.30 pm on November 13, a group of people were liming near Head Quarters Mini Mart on Hillaire Street, Diego Martin, when a silver AD wagon drove up to them.

Three gunmen came out and began shooting at the group. The gunmen got back into the car and drove off.

Three men were shot and were later taken to the St James Infirmary.

Two of them died while receiving treatment at hospital.

They have been identified as Kalvin Levine, 30, who died around 7.08 pm and Anfernee Eligon, 26, who died around 7.13 pm.

A third man was shot and wounded in the incident. Police said he was in a stable condition.

Crime-scene investigators found ten spent 5.56 shell casings, 18 spent 9mm shell casings and one deformed projectile at the scene.

A statement from the police on November 14 said three suspects were held in connection with in a double homicide in Diego Martin the day before.

Between November 13 around 6.30 pm and 1.30 am on November 14, police from various units in the Western Division conducted a targeted operation which lead to the arrest of the suspects.

Police said they went to Covigne Road, Diego Martin and arrested a male suspect, also wanted for a recent homicide at Quarry Street, Diego Martin.

They also received information and went to Boiler Trace, Cameron Hill, Paramin and found the AD wagon involved in shooting with the keys in the ignition on the road.

"The vehicle contained evidence critical to the investigation."

Police then went to Upper Richplain Road, Diego Martin and arrested two more suspects.

One suspect was found with a pistol loaded with 9 mm ammunition.

Police said further investigations were ongoing.

Newsday visited the family of Eligon at their home on November 14.

Three female relatives spoke to the media on the condition of anonymity.

One female relative said Eligon was loving, respectful and friendly.

"He was a nice person. He never raised his voice for anyone and he never disrespected anybody."

She said Eligon had a one-year-old son and worked at the Diego Martin Regional Corporation (DMRC).

Another female relative said there had been a trend of gunmen killing young men in the area for no particular reason.

"On October 11 on Quarry Street around 6.45 pm they see a boy passing and they shoot him up.

"Same night after 11 pm they went and shoot up by the bar.

"They say they going from street-to-street where it have young people and extinguish everybody."

She said on November 13, the group was just liming, drinking and dancing to music being played from a phone one the ground and was unsure why Eligon and the others were targeted.

"Anfernee not in nothing. He working in the corporation. Kalvin not in nothing. He have his shop up the street and working Westshore Medical.

"He save his little money and opened a shop. That is the shop he using to support his child."

She said the surviving victim also worked at the DMRC.

The women said he now had two bullets lodged in his spine.

"If the doctors touch it, he could end up paralysed."

The second female relative once again denied allegations of the men being associated with gangs.

"If they saying it gang-related, you don't think the gunmen would have gotten an answer back?

"It have no guns around here. Everybody does come out and have a good time."

She said the street was very short and everyone was close with each other.

The first female relative said, "We does lime here, sit down and drink our little alcohol."

The third female relative, with tears in hers eyes, said she was frustrated with gunmen distressing innocent people.

"They really overdoing it man. They just going and shooting up people just so.

"Why? Why this happening?"

Newsday asked what the police response had been like in the area. The second female relative almost seemed disrespected by the question.

"The police will pass, see them liming and jump out and have them spread out.

"They does look for anything they can find, but they never finding anything."

She said the police do not patrol the area to prevent incidents like the double murder from happening.

However, she did applaud the police on their response to the murders.

"They found the vehicle in no time and arrested two.

"That is the only thing I glad for last night, but all the other times they wasn't doing anything."

Newsday later visited Levine's family who lives roughly 500 metres away from where he was gunned down.

A female relative spoke to the media on the condition on anonymity.

She said Levine was a hard-working man who supported his family the best he could.

"He was working with Westshore Medical as an orderly and he used to drop off blood to the St Clair Hospital. Transport basically.

Levine was the father of an 11-year-old boy.

"He was a very fun person to be with. Always have you smiling and laughing.

"When you down and out, he would be right there for you to give you assistance."

She said he never was involved with the wrong company or received any threats from anyone.

"They was lining and drinking yesterday and was planning to go to the (Ariapita) Avenue.

"Then we heard the gunshots. They said people got shoot. I send out someone to see and the message came back that Levine, Eligon and (name called) were shot."

She said Levine's mother was inconsolable when she heard the news.

She said the crime situation was not good and more needed to be done to curb the issue.

"They need to pay more attention to the youths and the areas to know what it is really about.

"If they don't do that, it will stay the same way."