Sister of murdered Cocorite man: Vengeance is the Lord’s

A DAY after Kwasi King was murdered in Cocorite on July 14, his relatives say they have already forgiven his killers.

Speaking with Newsday at the Forensic Science Centre in St James on July 15, King’s sister, who asked not to be named, quoted the Bible: “‘Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord.’ We have forgiven them.”

According to the family, they received a call around 9.20 pm informing them that King had been shot close to his home and taken to the St James Medical Complex where he later died.

King, who lived at Upper Cocorite Terrace in Cocorite, was unemployed and had no children. He was the youngest of three siblings and described by relatives as “the baby of the family.” Asked about the circumstances surrounding the shooting, his sister said details were still unclear.

“We really don’t know what he was involved in when he was outside. He didn’t always share everything with us. It’s still sketchy. We just got a call he was shot.”

Reports are that around 9.35 pm, officers from the St James CID responded to reports of gunshots received from the Police Command Centre.

On arrival, officers found King lying on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds to the head and upper body. He was taken to the medical complex where he was pronounced dead at 9.46 pm.

Preliminary investigations revealed King had been liming around 9.30 pm when two men approached and opened fire.

At the scene, officers recovered 14 spent shell casings and two deformed projectiles – all being of nine millimetre calibre.

Describing her brother, she said King was outgoing and full of life: “He was a fun-loving person. The life of the party.”

Reflecting on the wider issue of crime, she expressed concern that the situation was getting worse, especially in their community. She called for more police patrols in Cocorite.

Her plea echoed those of the family of murdered police constable Davy La Maitre who was killed along with Michael Ross, 24, and Josiah Maloney, 23, on July 13. All three were pronounced dead at Port of Spain General Hospital. La Maitre’s sister also spoke with Newsday at the Forensic Science Complex a day earlier.

A resident of Lange Street in Gonzales, La Maitre and the men were liming in a group when a black Nissan Almera pulled up. Two armed men got out of the car and opened fire before getting back in the car and speeding off along Prosperity Road.

La Maitre was taken to the PoSGH by residents, while police transported Ross and Maloney.

La Maitre’s mother, Natasha Pierre, had a message for government officials, specifically Justice Minister Wayne Sturge and Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander: “We need more police patrols in high-risk areas.” While she acknowledged there are occasional patrols early in the morning, she insisted this was not enough.

“Yes, sometimes they (the police) pass by in the morning, but that’s not enough. Gonzales has a police post, but it needs to be active. We need more mobile patrols. The community just needs more visible police presence.”

Asked what might be driving young people towards violence, Pierre said she was at a loss. During a visit to Gonzales around 11.30 am on the same day, residents echoed similar concerns. Many felt the community had become desensitised to crime and reiterated the call for more frequent police patrols.

A resident suggested young people should stop liming in groups on the pavement and stay indoors when possible.

Similarly, King’s relatives believe that a stronger push, not just by police but also by communities, is needed to steer young people toward positive behaviour and away from crime. “There are youth programmes, but are the youths really going to them,” King’s sister asked.

She emphasised the importance of building stronger relationships between police and communities, particularly in high-risk areas, citing a lack of trust:

“They (police) need to reach out more and build real relationships in communities if they want people to feel safe.”

King’s sister, who was accompanied by her mother and another brother, expressed concern about how victims like King are often portrayed in the media and by the public.

“To the nation, he’s just another person who died. But to us, he’s our brother. He was the last of us. He was the baby.”

Asked about their mother, who was seated inside, King’s sister said:

“She’s not coping well. She was very close to him. I’m just trying to hold up for her.”