By DENYSE RENNE Friday, June 22 2012

HOMICIDE Investigations Bureau detectives were yesterday continuing their investigation into the shooting death of a Morvant teenager. The murder of Khaeem Patterson has pushed the country’s murder toll to 191 for the year, up to press time yesterday.

According to police reports, at about 4 am yesterday, residents of Second Avenue, Barataria, heard one gunshot. The residents, police reported, did not venture out of their homes immediately for fear that the gunman/men could still be lurking around in the dark.

Police sources said that at about 6.45 am, residents who left their homes saw Patterson’s body in a track at the end of Second Avenue. He had been shot once in the head. A report was made to the Barataria police.

A resident who spoke to Newsday said, “Within recent times there have been several robberies in the area and residents have reached the stage where around here you pretend not to see anything illegal...if you value your life.”

The resident said there are frequent police patrols but not even this seems to be able to curb the crime taking place. Another resident said that in most instances, persons from outside the area come into Barataria to conduct their illegal activities.

“In most cases if we hear about a body being found, we do not know who the person is,” the resident said. Adding that they are grateful for the police patrols in the area, the resident said very soon persons may have to consider a self-imposed curfew to protect themselves and their properties.

Police sources told Newsday Patterson had a pending case in the magistrates’ court for possession of marijuana. He lived in the Morvant district.

Officers of the Barataria Police Station led by Supt John Daniel and including ASP Mahabir, Steele-Williams and PCs Ramoutar and Mitchell visited the scene.

The body was removed to the Forensic Science Centre, St James, where efforts were made to have an autopsy done yesterday. No motive has been established for Patterson’s murder and no arrest has been made. Investigations are continuing.