Trinidad and Tobago: State of Emergency declared amid rising gang violence, 6 killed in 48 hours
The announcement of the State of Emergency by the Office of the Prime Minister came after reporting two incidents in the past 48 hours over the weekend.
Tuesday, 31st December 2024
Trinidad and Tobago declared a “state of emergency” after a series of killings held over the weekend. Reportedly, the recent incidents were related to gang violence, and it claimed lives of six individuals, sending shockwaves across the island nation.
In the announcement made by the Office of the Prime Minister, the Government has declared that Trinidad and Tobago is ‘experiencing heightened criminal’ activity which tends to endanger the public safety.
Six homicides in Trinidad and Tobago in 48 hours
The announcement of the State of Emergency comes after there were two incidents reported in the past 48 hours over the weekend.
The first took place on Saturday just after 3pm outside the Besson Police Station where a gunman was waiting in a parked panel van, and they started shooting on a group of people coming out of the station.
The gunman used high calibre automatic weapons, leaving one-person dead right outside the station while another escaped.
The victim of this incident has been identified as 31-year-old Trevor Williams of Clifton Towers.
The second incident took place just 24 hours later on Sunday in Prizgar Lands, Laventille where six individuals were targeted and shot. The incident claimed lives of five individuals while one remains hospitalised in serious condition.
The victims have been identified as Derron Calliste, Cleon Lugin, Kambon Omowale, Ryan Lessey and Garet Smart.
It is reported that a group of men were liming around a minimart in Laventille when two vehicles pulled up next to them and three masked man holding firearms exited the cars. They began shooting at the group and returned to the vehicles only to flee away from the crime scene.
The police and emergency services were soon notified following which they rushed five men to the hospital while Lessey, 24, of Prizgar Lands died on the scene.
Of the five men, four succumbed to their injuries and a 32-year-old man, who was shot in the upper left arm remains hospitalised.
Police are suspecting that this incident took place as a result of retaliation among the gangs in Trinidad and Tobago and it is linked to the recent shooting of Trevor Williams.
According to the police, Williams was the bodyguard of a well-known individuals who is currently a suspect in one of the cases and both of them visited station to sign some papers.
The suspect was said to be the target of the shooters but instead they fatally shot his bodyguard and as a result of this incident, the police suspected that there would be retaliation among the gangs.
Soon after the State of Emergency was declared in Trinidad and Tobago, Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds and Attorney General Stuart Young addressed the citizens.
Young said that as per the police intel additional gang related reprisal attacks which are a threat to public safety, leading the Government to declare a state of emergency.
He said as per internal information, gang related activities are likely to increase on a scale so extensive that it threatens the general public.
“Innocent individuals would be affected and as a result of that the decision was taken by the National Security Council to recommend the SOE.
Young explained that there will be no curfew imposed across the twin island nation and there will be no impact on public gatherings, marches and other group activities.
Special Powers to Police
The State of Emergency will grant the Commissioner of Police and officers of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service with special powers which will allow them to conduct searches without requiring any warrants. They can also detain anyone for certain periods of time.
Also, all the officers who were on leave have now been called back to duty in order to provide additional assistance in tackling the rising crime.
The people who will be found with any type of unlawful firearms, ammunition and explosives will be detained with applications for bail suspended.
2024 ends with over 623 homicides
Attorney General Stuart Young also reported that Trinidad and Tobago recorded 61 murders alone in December, bringing the 2024’s total up to 623 homicides which is a whopping increased from the previous years.
In 2023, the island nation recorded 577 homicides while in 2022 there were 599 killings. It was also reported that this year’s toll is the highest level in police records dating back to 2013.
