By ALEXANDER BRUZUAL Monday, February 25 2013

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IN GRIEF: Sherma Crichlow struggles to come to terms with the death of her 16-year-old son Shakeel Abadeen who was murdered yesterday morning in John ...

The cries of a mother in agony once again pervaded the hills of Laventille yesterday as 16-year-old Shakeel Abadeen was gunned down in John John.

Police reported that at about 11 am, Abadeen, of Pelican Extension, Morvant, made his way to John John to visit his mother, Sherma Critchlow.

However, as he walked towards his mother’s home, he was approached by a lone gunman who shot the teenager twice before fleeing the scene.

Abadeen slumped to the ground and died.

The police were notified and a party of officers including ASP Ajith Persad, Inspector Singh, Cpl Paul, and other members of the Besson Street Police Station, the Inter-Agency Task Force, the Port-of-Spain CID, and the Homicide Bureau of Investigations visited the scene.

The area was cordoned off and Crime Scene Investigators searched the area for clues to help them in their inquiries. A District Medical Officer also visited the scene, and ordered the body be removed to the Forensic Science Centre, St James where an autopsy is expected to be done today.

While speaking with Newsday yesterday, Critchlow repeatedly broke down in tears as she struggled to come to terms with the loss of her son.

“What they do that for? He never troubled anybody. He didn’t deserve to die like that. Not like that. He only come up this side so he could get some food. He was hungry and he call me this morning and ask if he could pass and collect some money to buy food. I tell him no problem, and to tell me when he leave home so I could meet him at the bottom of the street. He called me and said he was on his way, and as I was walking down the road, my neighbours and them tell me he get gun down by the steps. This sad, sad, sad. He wouldn’t have troubled anybody. So why they kill him? Just because he not from here? What madness is this. He didn’t deserve to die so!” Critchlow explained.

Investigations are continuing.

In an unrelated incident, 30-year-old Reynold Roscoe was gunned down while liming with a group of friends along Back Street, Maraval, on Saturday night. Police reported that Roscoe and his friend Yvonne Jones, 37, were liming with other residents of the area along Back Street, when the group was approached by two heavily armed men.

Without warning, the men pointed their firearms at the group and began shooting. They then fled the scene on foot.

When the dust cleared, Roscoe was dead, and Jones was injured.

Up to press time the extent of Jones’ injuries was not fully ascertained, however, it was said she was rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where she was treated. A party of Western Division officers including Superintendent Patterson, Inspector Thomas, and Inspector Dan visited the scene.

Investigations are continuing.

These two killings have officially pushed the murder toll to 74 according to Newsday statistics.