Victims Anicia James (centre), her brother Anslem James (right), and her common law husband Mitch-ell Francois (left).
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad--A six-year-old boy was nursing injuries at a hospital following a mass shooting on Saturday in Arima, which left his mother, father and uncle dead.
The primary school pupil was shot in both legs during the deadly home invasion at La Retreat Ex-tension, Heights of Guanapo, Arima, which claimed the lives of Anicia James (47), her brother Anslem James (49), and her common-law husband Mitchell Francois (30).
The nation’s first triple homicide for the year as a State of Emergency (SOE) remains in effect galva-nised senior police officers into action as Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Intelligence and In-vestigations, Suzette Martin, and acting DCP, Operations, Curt Simon both visited the scene.
Police said Anicia James would have been in the process of locking up the modest mini-mart she operated at the front of her home around 10:15pm, when two masked gunmen stormed the small house, kicked in the door and opened fire on the occupants.
The suspects reportedly came from the back of the property which was blocked by dense vegeta-tion. Minutes after the shooting, the suspects ran off via a track leading to a garden on the opposite side of the road and disappeared into the forest.
Neighbours went to the aid of the three after alerting police.
On Sunday, a male relative claimed police officers were present on the street at the time of the shooting, but according to him, “They did not respond as they should have”.
While he remained bereft and shaken he recounted what happened but was uncertain if the family would get justice for the deaths. He admitted to being reassured by the visit of Martin and Simon as he said, “I feel kind of comforted by what they told me, but we will have to see what happens.”
Officials were unable to determine the motive behind the killings as they said conflicting theories were being offered up, including a resumption of the war between feuding gangs in the area; a con-cluded court matter involving Anslem, who was struck by a car; and even a possible threat from an affiliate of one of the warring gangs.
As investigators returned to the scene of the shooting on Sunday to acquire aerial footage of the surrounding terrain via a drone, they were surprised to learn that they were in turn under surveillance by unknown people using a drone more sophisticated than theirs.
After confirming that media personnel present had not sent up a drone, officers went in search of the operator but were unsuccessful in locating them.
Speaking with reporters, the relative of the slain woman said the family moved to the area more than 10 years ago and were not known to be involved in any illegal activity.
Anicia was a mother of four whose elder two children are in their 20s and did not live with her; whilst the younger two include a 12-year-old girl and a six-year-old boy.
Claiming the family had been operating as normal when they were ambushed and killed, the rela-tive said, “Anicia is a humble person, [she would – Ed.] help anybody. She would help all her brothers and sisters … she was just a good soul. She was just trying to do the right thing to take care of her children.”
Anslem on the other hand, he claimed, was, “Kind of mental but normal at the same time.”
He was unable to say much about Francois.
Even as investigators combed the area on Sunday, people living along the street remained locked inside their homes, refusing to speak or even venture out except for one man who came to purchase two loaves of bread from Anicia’s shop.
The relative confirmed, “Everybody is to themself up here.”
Indicating the welfare of Anicia’s two younger children would now fall on the shoulders of her two elder children, he said the family would do their best to provide for them now.
To the gunmen, he urged, “It [is not] making sense. [You are] killing innocent people. Even [if] you come for one person, [you are] shooting up a house and [you] know [there are] children and older people in the house. Look for whoever you want and [do not] kill innocent people. It [is] not making sense.”
History of violence
The quiet communities of Dump Road off La Retreat Road and Heights of Guanapo came into stark focus last year after a series of violent shootings claimed the lives of several people in a particular family.
Anthony John of River Valley Road off La Retreat Road was killed on July 15, 2024, as he drove into his yard. His murder was followed by the murder of Eyon Murray on July 24, 2024 at Dump Road; while Murray’s niece Jamiela Cumberbatch was killed after gunmen stormed her house at Dump Road on July 30, 2024, and opened fire on the occupants.
Cumberbatch’s death was followed by a similar gun attack on her brother Jamal Cumberbatch on August 10, 2024, at his mother’s house at Paradise Lane, Valencia.
His 51-year-old mother along with his 18-year-old sister and 16-year-old girlfriend were all injured during that incident.
In October 2023, four siblings from the Perterkin family were shot dead. ~ Trinidad and Tobago Guardian ~
