Had Ste Madeleine father, Darryl “Million” Baptiste heeded the advice of his common-law wife to stay away from work, he might have avoided the gunmen who killed him on Tuesday. Baptiste, 38, a security guard at Lucky 7 Bar, St Clement Junction, Ste Madeline, was gunned down by a group of men, who police suspected had an altercation with him earlier in the day. Just an hour before he was killed, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar told reporters that despite reports that serious crimes was down, the homicide rate was not.
The murder toll as of yesterday stood at 188, averaging just over one murder ar day. Last year’s murder toll was 407 with 169 citizens being killed by June 5, 2013. Reports stated that around 9.15 pm, Baptiste was on duty when a group of men entered the bar and shot him. Employees scampered for cover as the men escaped along the Naparima/Mayaro Road. He was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital where he died despite doctors' efforts.
A team of officers, including ASP Mohammed, Insp Gajadhar, Insp Ramkhelawan, Sgt Ramjug and Sgt Prescott, responded to the shooting and searched the area. Up the yesterday afternoon, no one was held. Speaking at their Tarodale Hill home yesterday, Baptiste’s wife, Salisha Young, said he had been suffering with the flu for the past three days and despite pleading with him to stay home and rest, he went to work.
She said: “He had the cold so I told him to stay home yesterday morning. I said look how you have a fever but he said he had to go to work.” Recalling the moments leading up to his death, Young said she had bought a meal of roasted pork and noodles and had just dropped it off for him at the bar. While walking home, she said she called him again to ask if he needed anything else before she went to the wake for 17-year-old Michael Miguel who was murdered on Monday.
“I called him and I was not getting him. I thought he was vex that I was going to the wake. “I walked out the road and saw the place closed but I know that he does walk on the other side to come home. I got in a car and when I almost reached Cocoyea, my daughter called me and told me that Million just got shot.” With tears, she said she rushed to the hospital only to be told that he died. Describing Baptiste as jolly and loving, she said there was no reason why someone would have wanted him dead.
However, she said, she was told that during the day, Baptiste had an argument with someone who was gambling at the bar. She said Baptiste was supposed to begin working with his sister, but opted against that when his current employers offered him a pay increase. She said they had planned to upgrade their home and open a home business. However, all that has now been cancelled, she added.
Last December Young, a mother of six, mourned the lost of her friend and sons’ father, Trevlon “Mustapha” Joseph. Joseph, 51, was shot dead at the corner of Coffee Street and Drayton Street, San Fernando, while going to purchase dinner.