GANG KILL MY SONBy Indarjit Seuraj Friday, November 13 2009
Gunshots at a health centre in Laventille yesterday sent children, waiting for medical treatment, and their parents scampering for safety.
The incident turned out to be a ‘hit’ as the victim, Lennox Bellerend Jr, 23, was shot to death in full view of the children.
One witness, who was present at the scene and was overheard talking to a group of Cepep workers, said one of two gunmen simply walked out of the Success Laventille Health Centre and then trotted along the Old St Joseph Road, still brandishing his firearm.
The killing forced the closure of the health centre on Espinet Street.
Police said Bellerend Jr was waiting for his dental appointment with his mother just after 9 am when a gunman approached him from behind and shot him.
As he fell to the ground, the other gunman walked up to him and shot him through the back of his head.
Bellerend Jr, a father of one from Upper Wharton Street, Laventille died before physicians at the centre could tend to him.
One unidentified bystander who stood outside the scene of the crime said the shooting could have been even more deadly with several children running around.
“On a Thursday? This is madness,” he said.
According to the health centre’s schedule, Thursdays are set aside mainly for dispensing treatment, such as vaccinations, to children.
The incident marks yet another brazen gun attack within a five-month period.
Most recently, on October 19, murder suspect Peter Garcia was shot dead after exiting the Rio Claro Magistrates’ Court. He was being escorted by two unarmed police officers after appearing in court on a murder charge when the gunmen shot him to death.
On June 24, fitness instructor Camille Daniel-Nottingham was shot and killed in a brave attempt to escape her abductors after she and her friend had been car jacked by gunmen. Daniel-Nottingham was shot when she instinctively drove into the West End Police Station, Diego Martin to get police assistance.
Speaking with reporters, Lennox Bellerend Sr said he believed it was a case of “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” for his son who refused to join a Laventille gang.
“To me, my son wasn’t no bad boy, he wasn’t in no gang or anything like that but when you live in Laventille and you don’t join a gang, they will kill you because they believe you must come in to the thing with them,” Bellerend Sr said.
“Anytime you living nice in Laventille and you don’t join the gang, they will kill you. You have to come and join the gang to survive and if you don’t join the gang they will still kill you,” he added.
It was just two months ago that gunmen shot at Bellerend Jr, his father said, hitting him in his buttocks. Bellerend Jr’s autopsy will take place today. His murder is a double blow for Bellerend Sr who lost another son, Wendell, to gang warfare three years ago. North-West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) CEO Agatha Carrington, who visited the health centre refused to comment stating the matter was a police investigation.
The murder has forced the NWRHA to close the health centre until further notice and advised Laventille residents to visit the Morvant, Barataria, San Juan and El Socorro health centres. Officers from the Special Anti-Crime Unit (SAUTT) as well as the Homicide Bureau are investigating.
In a statement last evening, SAUTT said one of the suspects is of African/Indian descent with a plaited hairstyle and the other is of African descent.
SAUTT gave a different account of the event and said Bellerend Jr was shot by one of the gunmen before they both fled the health centre.
SAUTT advised persons who were at the health centre or who have information about the incident to contact its operations room at 623-5202, or call Crime Stoppers at 800-TIPS (8477).
This murder pushes the toll for the year to 451, 26 less than the corresponding period last year.
