As families continue to call for justice for murder victims in south Trinidad, the Southern Homicide Bureau came one step closer to solving at least one murder. Police investigating the murder of security guard Darryl “Million” Baptiste have obtained video footage from the Lucky 7 Bar at St Clement’s Junction where he was gunned down on Tuesday. However, they declined to share what was on the tape, saying only they were looking at it in the hope of making an arrest soon.
Up to yesterday, no one had been held for questioning in any of the three murders in South Trinidad over the last five days. Police said there was nothing new to report. Baptiste, 38, of Tarodale Hills, Ste Madeleine, was gunned down by a group of men who walked into the bar. Police suspect that earlier in the day he had an altercation with one of the men who returned with his friends to seek revenge.
The father of a 14-year-old daughter, he was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital where he died on the operating table. After the shooting, the owners closed the business until the police came to investigate. Baptiste’s murder followed the killing of 41-year-old Roopchan Harripersad, who was killed with a single shot to the head at the back of his wooden shack on Monday. Harripersad, a handyman from De Verteuil Street, Rambert Village, had been released from prison two weeks before. He had been convicted of larceny.
Earlier that morning, 17-year-old Michael Miguel was gunned down near Trinidad Cement’s Claxton Bay plant after an altercation with a group of men. Miguel, from Building One, Embacadere, was expelled from secondary school and dropped out of a Life Sport programme because of gang rivalry. Police were trying to determine whether a feud between Pleasantville and Broadway gangs was the reason for his murder, as his killers were inquiring about his brother, who is serving a prison sentence for assault.