Crime and Punishment

Voyeurs, I apologize for my scanty posting, but i have been wrapped up in some real life drama...

It all started back in October-ish when my cousin was shot 3 times point blank in the head...and survived. His name is Sherwin, bka Sean.
He was shot by an old friend of our family, out of pure jealousy. Sean just happens to be ballin out of control. And in Trinidad, where we are from and where he resides, that's saying a lot.
The man who shot him is named Peter. He hates Sean for his success, and tried to kill him. Absurd, i know. It was mentioned in a Trini newspaper here.
My cousin, his wife and kids, flew here immediately following the shooting, so that he could be operated on, and recover safely.

Things died down right after that and we thought it was over. Then Peter's brother was killed. Some say as retribution for shooting my cousin, but who knows. The article also mentions that.

But apparently, Peter was crazier than we thought. He went into hiding. As Trini's would say, he went into the bush (or the Forest areas surrounding the town, Agostini, where my family is from). He started sending messages to my family that he was going to kill everyone. And then he shot and killed my cousin Sean's best friend, Curtis, right in front of his wife and kids.

At the wake for Curtis, one of Peter's lackeys threatened another of my cousins, telling him that he was next. Of course my uncles and cousins beat him senseless. But on the other hand we took the threat seriously.

Then, a few days later, another of Peter's brothers was murdered.

This past week, Peter shot another of my uncles, Wayne, more than 20 times with a semi-automatic. His blood was to plentiful that it soaked through the floorboards of the house and stained the ground beneath.
My Uncle had NOTHING to do with the situation. As a matter of fact his nickname was Pie, because people said he was sweet as pie. Peter simply decided that he wants every member of my family dead.
Please read about it here

My family was shocked, disgusted, sad, angry. But as usual we never allow anyone to scare us into hiding. We are too resilient for that.

In a show of solidarity, they held a wake for Pie the day after the shooting, and it went well. Until about 8:00.

At 8:00 peter and an accomplice came out of the bushes near the wake shooting (again) my cousin Sean and another of his friends. He shot Sean six more times, and he survived, again. That brings him to a total of nine bullets. His friend also survived. Peter had emptied all of the bullets from his semi on my uncle the day before, so all he had was a simple shotgun, with simple slugs that pierced but did not kill my cousin. Funny how things happen.

Please read about it here.

My family tried to handle things lawfully; reporting every killing, every threat, every incident, every tip to the police. And they never responded. In fact, the police have an on going grudge against us because of an incident where my cousin Sean revealed a major scam within the department in which they tried to bribe him in efforts to cover up their abuse to his younger brother.

They let this drag on. They aided Peter, ignored his blatant presence in the village and refused to put him into custody. But it just so happens that on Friday at 8:00, Peter showed them that he has no friends. He shot at the same police who allowed his lawlessness, and they ran into the very house where my uncle Wayne was shot dead, and hid under the bed. I wonder if they could smell the scent of fresh innocent blood as they cowered on the same floor where he called out for their help until he bled to death?

The police hid in drains, they ran, they called for assistance, just as they made my fallen and hit family members do for all of the months during which these incidents transpired.

Now they are putting on an elaborate show for the media. They brought out big guns, helicopters, night vision cameras and even the army. They claim to have the best interest of my family at heart as they guard them, escort them, comb through the bush and patrol the streets of Agostini village. But none of this will ever right the wrong that they committed when they let this man roam free chopping down our tree one branch at a time. And when we retaliated they carted off every one of my kin and locked them under the jail. But Peter ran free.

I am sad and worried. My mother left today to begin a legal crusade against the corruption in the police department and to mourn the loss of her blood. But i am scared for her.

So God, please bring her back safely. Please God.

Another of my jealous uncles (who supplied Peter with the bullets that killed Wayne, his brother) specifically told my grand mother that all of her children would die. Its my mother that he is referring to, i know. And i am scared. I shake, i cry, i pray. Please, God.

I hope that in sharing this story with you all, a valuable lesson will be learned. Jealousy is a disease that can infect even the most deeply rooted family tree. As i see my family members fall, i am sickened at the power of the dollar. Money will come and go. But family, once gone will never return.

Rest in peace Curtis and Uncle Pie. Keep fighting Sean. You are my personal Superman. Stay strong family. What God put together, let no man put asunder.

Come home to us mom. Safely.
♥ Lola