[UPDATED] Teen victim warned before Bon Air murder: 'This area hot'

Minutes before 15-year-old Akid Duke was gunned down, his driver, who was in the car with him, was warned how dangerous the area was and told to leave.

Duke and the driver were waiting for his mother, who was at a job interview at a businessplace on 12th Avenue, Bon Air Gardens, Arouca, when Duke was shot dead.

Police said Duke was playing on his cellphone in the passenger side seat of the driver's Toyota Axio car when two men approached Duke and instructed him to lower the glass.

The men told both Duke and his driver, "The area is hot," before telling them to leave.

Investigators said the driver went to a nearby shop, where he bought cigarettes and began to smoke before getting back in the car.

Shortly after a man approached the car from the front and shot Duke several times.

The driver drove to the Arouca Police Station and police took Duke to the Mt Hope Hospital, where he was declared dead at 3.30 pm.

Police found 12 spent shells at the spot where he was shot.

Newsday spoke to Duke's cousin Tracy Ferguson at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, on Wednesday. He said he did not believe the news when he first heard about the shooting.

"I was sleeping at the time and the phone call from the relatives woke me up. At first I thought I was still dreaming when I heard what happened but I realised this was real."

Ferguson said Duke's mother was too emotional to visit the centre to identify her son's body on Wednesday.

He said Duke, who was from Nelson Street, was a fourth form student of South East Port of Spain Secondary School, had a passion for football and dreamed of creating a better life for his family.

"He was one of the nicest people you could know. He was well-liked by everyone in the community.

"Right now I'm just praying the father can give me the strength to get through this."

Newsday visited the area where the murder happened and tried to speak with officials at the company where Duke's mother was being interviewed, but they declined to comment.

One resident said while the area could be dangerous, he was shocked by Duke's murder.

"I think it's ridiculous what happened. It's really sad what happened to that young boy. Around here the violence goes on and off."

Another woman said while she was only visiting, she knew the area had a reputation for being dangerous.

Newsday spoke to an Arouca police officer, who described Duke's murder as "senseless," as he had no ties to criminals or organised crime. He said the killing was possibly linked to an upsurge in gang activity in and around Arouca, where members of the ABG gang were at war with Rasta City gang members over turf.

"There is absolutely nothing to suggest he (Duke) was involved in any kind of crime or illegal activities.

"What we can deduce, based on the information we gathered, is maybe the killers saw his hairstyle and thought he was a member of the Rasta City gang. Other than that we don't know why anyone would want to kill him."

Another officer said the murder of 31-year-old Jaron "Kiteman" Calliste at Mc Connie Street, Tacarigua, last month prompted several patrols and exercises in the area.

He said there would be more police activity in different parts of the Arouca station district as a result.

He also called on the public to do their part by reporting any suspicious activities, whether by day or night.

"A lot of times these gangs send people in an area to scout around and see what the layout is like. If the people see any suspicious people or vehicles prowling around, they should call the police, because we will be there on the ground nearby."

Early on Saturday morning brothers Chris and Shawn-Anthony Williams were shot dead at their Sparrow Drive, Bon Air Gardens, Arouca home.

A female relative was also wounded in the attack.

Lopinot councillor heartbroken

Newsday also spoke to La Florissante/ Lopinot councillor Dwayne Mora who said he was heartbroken after hearing about Duke's murder and was concerned over the recent violence noting that while the police were doing their best to maintain law and order, citizens should do their part in reporting crimes while mentoring young men in the area.

"It's really sad and heartbreaking to hear what happened to him (Duke), we're still dealing with the murders of Andrea (Bharatt) and Ashanti (Riley) and the other young women that lost their lives and now this came and happened.

"Yesterday I heard another teenager lost his life. In Bon Air I wouldn't say there is a spike in gang-related violence but it's something that has been worrying me as the councillor and the residents."

Mora advised Bon Air residents to exercise caution and make use of the community's WhatsApp group to share information on suspicious activities and call the police.

TT murders since Saturday:

• Anthony Raymond, 33, shot dead at his Mt D'Or Road, Champs Fleurs, home

• Marlon Moraldo, 43, shot dead outside his Mt Lambert home

• Adisa Williams, 38, shot dead on Mon Repos Road, Morvant

• Christopher Cummings, 17, found dead off Achong Trace, Tunapuna

• Akid Duke, 15, shot dead on 12th Avenue, Bon Air Gardens, Arouca

• Hammat George, shot dead on Jankie Trace, Las Lomas

• Adeina Adana Alleyne, 35, was stabbed to death by her common-law husband at her Embacadere, San Fernando apartment

This story was originally published with the title "
Driver of murdered teen warned before shooting: 'This area hot'" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

Minutes before 15-year-old Akid Duke was gunned down, his driver, who was in the car with him, was warned how dangerous the area was and told to leave.

Duke and the driver were waiting for his mother, who was at a job interview at a businessplace on 12th Avenue, Bon Air Gardens, Arouca, when Duke was shot dead.

Police said Duke was playing on his cellphone in the passenger side seat of the driver's Toyota Axio car when two men approached Duke and instructed him to lower the glass.

The men told both Duke and his driver, "The area is hot," before telling them to leave.

Investigators said the driver went to a nearby shop, where he bought cigarettes and began to smoke before getting back in the car.

Shortly after a man approached the car from the front and shot Duke several times.

The driver drove to the Arouca Police Station and police took Duke to the Mt Hope Hospital, where he was declared dead at 3.30 pm.

Police found 12 spent shells at the spot where he was shot.

Newsday spoke to Duke's cousin Tracy Ferguson at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, on Wednesday. He said he did not believe the news when he first heard about the shooting.

"I was sleeping at the time and the phone call from the relatives woke me up. At first I thought I was still dreaming when I heard what happened but I realised this was real."

Ferguson said Duke's mother was too emotional to visit the centre to identify her son's body on Wednesday.

He said Duke, who was from Nelson Street, was a fourth form student of South East Port of Spain Secondary School, had a passion for football and dreamed of creating a better life for his family.

"He was one of the nicest people you could know. He was well-liked by everyone in the community.

"Right now I'm just praying the father can give me the strength to get through this."

Newsday visited the area where the murder happened and tried to speak with officials at the company where Duke's mother was being interviewed, but they declined to comment.

One resident said while the area could be dangerous, he was shocked by Duke's murder.

"I think it's ridiculous what happened. It's really sad what happened to that young boy. Around here the violence goes on and off."

Another woman said while she was only visiting, she knew the area had a reputation for being dangerous.

Newsday spoke to an Arouca police officer, who described Duke's murder as "senseless," as he had no ties to criminals or organised crime. He said the killing was possibly linked to an upsurge in gang activity in and around Arouca, where members of the ABG gang were at war with Rasta City gang members over turf.

"There is absolutely nothing to suggest he (Duke) was involved in any kind of crime or illegal activities.

"What we can deduce, based on the information we gathered, is maybe the killers saw his hairstyle and thought he was a member of the Rasta City gang. Other than that we don't know why anyone would want to kill him."

Another officer said the murder of 31-year-old Jaron "Kiteman" Calliste at Mc Connie Street, Tacarigua, last month prompted several patrols and exercises in the area.

He said there would be more police activity in different parts of the Arouca station district as a result.

He also called on the public to do their part by reporting any suspicious activities, whether by day or night.

"A lot of times these gangs send people in an area to scout around and see what the layout is like. If the people see any suspicious people or vehicles prowling around, they should call the police, because we will be there on the ground nearby."