PHILIPSBURG--The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) is working to determine whether the assassination attempt on Trinidad artiste Meschach Emmanuel, alias “Plumpy Boss”, was sanctioned by entities in Trinidad and Tobago or in St. Maarten. This was reported by the “Trinidad and Tobago Guardian” on Tuesday.
Around 4:10am on Sunday, after a performance at the Moon Bar rooftop club in Maho Village, gunmen opened fire on Emmanuel and members of his entourage, who rushed into a black van that was shot at multiple times. The shooting left the artiste critically injured. Four other persons received bullet wounds as well.
Sources disclosed to the “Trinidad and Tobago Guardian” that detectives of St. Maarten Police Force KPSM contacted the SIU around midday on Sunday – hours after Emmanuel's shooting – seeking assistance on possible suspects.
“One officer close to the investigation said as of Tuesday, the motive for the shooting was ‘clearly gang-related’,” the newspaper revealed. However, it was unclear whether the gunmen or the order for the shooting originated from Trinidad and Tobago or in St. Maarten, where the attack happened.
On July 1, Emmanuel was charged in Trinidad under the Anti-Gang Act for professing gang membership. He secured TT $350,000 bail and is required to report to the police in Trinidad weekly.
“The charges were laid after officers of the SIU and the police Gang Intelligence Unit viewed music videos and reviewed lyrics, in which he claimed allegiance to a gang,” reported the “Trinidad and Tobago Guardian”, which asked law enforcement how Emmanuel was allowed to leave the country to perform despite being recently charged with a crime.
According to the newspaper, one officer said there were no stipulations restricting him from leaving the territory as he was not likely to escape. “If you're an artiste or someone whose livelihood depends on you travelling, they will make an exception,” the police officer explained to the “Trinidad and Tobago Guardian”, “especially if you have family or other business interests in Trinidad that will prevent you from hiding abroad and never returning.”
Since the shooting in Maho, numerous videos have surfaced on YouTube alleging that Plumpy Boss, a member of the Prezzi Seven gang, was ambushed by members or affiliates of the rival 6ixx gang. Trinidadian artiste Kashif Sankar, also known as Kman 6ixx, is the most notorious member of the 6ixx gang. The “6ixx” and “Seven” gangs have been at war for several years, and this war has reportedly spilled over to other islands in the Caribbean region.
Four weeks prior to Plumpy Boss’ performance at the Moon Bar rooftop venue in Maho, his rival Kman 6ixx gave a concert on the same stage. While Kman 6ixx was able to perform in St. Maarten, police in St. Kitts and Nevis flagged the “Trinibad” artiste as a security risk, resulting in the cancellation of a concert scheduled for March 2. Kman 6ixx was not allowed to enter St. Kitts and Nevis.
The Trinidad and Tobago Guardian reported police stating that “while Emmanuel is believed to be an affiliate of the Seven gang, the 6ixx gang has a network spanning multiple Caribbean islands, making it possible for the attack to be ordered from outside of Trinidad and Tobago.”
The officer said that as part of their inquiries, police are reviewing an Air Traffic Index to monitor whether suspects may have left Trinidad and Tobago to travel to St. Maarten around the time of Emmanuel's shooting.
“The index is a computer system that allows us to see the full details on who would have left the country at a given time, the flight number, their destination, and so on,” the police source told the newspaper. “From this, it would be possible to narrow down which persons would have been going to a certain country and do background checks to see if these people are affiliates of any local gangs.”
“Trinidad and Tobago Guardian” understands no local police officers have been sent to St. Maarten as part of investigations. However, sources told the newspaper that the TTPS and the St. Maarten authorities are working closely through phone calls and e-mail correspondence.
The officer is said to have described the situation as being “extremely time-sensitive” as St. Maarten authorities were working to gather as much information as possible before the suspect or suspects could go into hiding.
