CARNIVAL celebrations along the Western Main Road in St James came to an abrupt end yesterday evening after gunfire erupted, resulting in a Venezuelan man being killed and three other people, including two women, being injured.
Up to last night, crime scene investigators and their colleagues from the Region I Homicide Bureau of Investigations as well as officers from other arms of the Police Service were at the scene carrying out enquiries.
A 61-year-old man of Carapichaima was detained by police following the incident.
Police were told one of the victims may have attempted to rob him and he pulled out a Glock pistol and opened fire, hitting the victim and three others.
Police were unable to confirm to the Express last night whether the man was authorised to have the firearm in his possession.
They have, however, since been able to identify the dead man as 30-year-old Irvin Joaquin Mayora.
His death has taken the country’s murder toll for the year so far to 65 compared to 94 for the corresponding period last year when there was no state of emergency.
The incident took place in the vicinity of Universal Bar near the market around 5.05 p.m.
Hours earlier, acting Police Commissioner Junior Benjamin told reporters this year’s celebrations was for the most part incident-free, with the exception of some minor infractions.
As Mayora lay dead, police arrived at the scene, stopped the revelry, detained the man carrying the gun and took the other three victims to the St James Medical Complex before cordoning off the area.
The other man was shot in the back of the head, but officers said they were unable to confirm his medical status or that of the two women.
The shooter, they said, did not flee the scene but instead remained at the location until officers arrived.
Just before the incident, masqueraders were revelling to soca music when suddenly some members of the crowd began to scamper, said one masquerader who was at the location at the time.
“People just started running and I wondering what was taking place. I thought was some kind of fight or something, but then I realised it was shots being fired but some people couldn’t really hear it because of the music,” he said.
The man, who wished to not be identified, said he was not in a position to say exactly what led to the incident.
“But even (if people attempted to rob him), shooting recklessly like that with so many other people around was not called for. In a case like that, you have to restrain yourself. Look at what happened now,” the masquerader said.
One vendor, who gave his name as Charles, told the Express he was frustrated by the situation as it meant he had to close early.
“One minute, everybody was liming and enjoying the music, and the next thing we hear is gunshots! People started to scream and run. It was pure panic! And now I have to close down my stand cause police say they not letting people down this side anymore,” he said.
A bystander who saw part of the incident told the Express: “I saw a man running, and another man chasing him with a gun. I thought it was a usual Carnival scuffle until I heard the shots. Then I saw people dropping to the ground—some hit, some just ducking for cover.”
One woman, who claimed she was close to one of the victims, stated: “I was standing right there when one of the bullets hit a woman next to me. She just collapsed. She wasn’t even involved—just an innocent bystander. This is madness.”
Another woman, who identified herself as 52-year-old Stacy Adams, pointed out that the country is currently under a state of emergency and yet, the killings are continuing. “Criminals not afraid of nothing. If they bold enough to do this with police all over for Carnival, then tell me—when will we ever feel safe?” she stated.
—additional reporting
by Alexander Bruzual
