(Trinidad Guardian) Over the past four years, the month of January was proven as the bloodiest month in each year, and this year seems to be following the same trend as four murders were committed in first nine hours of the new year.
The victims were identified as—Brandon Khan, also known as Chinee and Jundallah, of Enterprise, Chaguanas; retired police officer John Ramkissoon, 59, of Gopaul Trace, Longdenville; Miguel Simmons, 20, a man only identified as Nic and Mark Bascombe.
ACP Crime Irwin Hackshaw, in an immediate response to the bloody start of 2018 said “The boots are on the ground.”
He assured that the police will continue to keep working on trying to keep the murder rate down.
“Our vision for 2018 is that, as it was last year, but we will put in that extra effort this year. We didn’t do too well last year but we will keep on pushing…the boots are on the ground and the police are on the ground,” Hackshaw said.
The first incident took place shortly after midnight while Khan was liming with friends at Goodwill Street when when gunmen opened fire on the group.
Khan and five others were shot. Khan died while undergoing treatment at the Chaguanas Health Facility. Police said he was shot six times. The names of the five wounded people weren’t released up to press time.
At the scene yesterday young men in the area were reluctant to comment on the incident but admitted that this was a “sign for them to look at protecting themselves by whatever means necessary.”
Neighbours, who asked not to be identified, described the scene as the “wild, wild west.”
A resident said that Khan, who was often involved in confrontations with police officers, was the “main target.”
Another resident said she returned from church shortly after midnight and saw people lying on the road, “just blood everywhere. The men came shoot up the group and Chinee attempted to run home but collapsed.”Hours later, police were called to the scene at Gopaul Trace, Longdenville, where retired police officer, John Ramkissoon, 59, was found dead in the garage area of his home. He was chopped to death around 3.30 am after an argument with a neighbour. He was repeatedly chopped to the face and his skull was fractured, police said.
A suspect, in his early 30s, has been detained is said to be assisting police in their investigations. The man, a father of three, is a mechanic and electrician by trade. His relatives described him as a “hard worker and friendly guy.”
Ramkissoon’s daughter, Shelly Anne, 35, said her father was visiting neighbours wishing them a Happy New Year.“We really don’t know what happened but there was an argument and when my mother and brother came out daddy was already on the ground. He spent the night going around and just drinking and liming,” Shelly Anne said.
She said her father worked in the T&T Police Service’s for 30 years and retired from the Guard and Emergency Branch. “My father was a good person to everyone and he was just enjoying his retirement,” she said.
The third murder occurred at about 7 am after Miguel Simmons, 20, was shot dead at Seventh Avenue, Malick, Barataria. The fourth murder occurred two hours later at Upper Mendez Drive, Champs Fleurs.
The man, who was only identified as “Nic,” was driving a grey B-13 when gunmen opened fire on the vehicle.
The driver crashed into a concrete embankment. Police said the injured man got out of the car and attempted to run but was chased and shot dead.
Relatives at the scene said that it was not a good time for them and did not comment further.
Bascombe was killed outside a children’s party in Bagatelle, Diego Martin shortly after 5 pm.
He was shot by the occupants of a passing car and was taken to the St James Medical Centre where he died.
Police said an automatic weapon was used in the attack.
