GRIEVING BROTHER: The brother of Jaheim Diaz is held back by police officers on Tuesday afternoon when he came to view Diaz’s body after he had been gunned down at the corner of Duke and Charlotte streets in Port of Spain
Photo: ISHMAEL SALANDY
The Brazen killing happened in broad daylight in the heart of Port Of Spain on a bustling busy street and left many shaken and scared.
His killing has since sent chills down the spines of other vendors who knew him, and has left some who shop on and traverse Charlotte Street shaken, emotional and angry at the brazen and senseless killing.
President of the Charlotte Street Vendors Association Crystal Daniels said with two murders back-to-back, the situation is worrying. “The politicians and the religious groups are too quiet. There were two consecutive murders, back-to-back. Last Saturday was a murder, and this week was another murder in broad daylight,” she said.
She added, “This situation bothers me. It is worrying to see that this young fella was doing something positive, not just for himself but because of his little brothers and sisters, and it’s because of the particular community you come from that they kill you. There are so many black young fellas wasting so much time, and too many of them are involved in senseless killings all because someone is not from your area,” she said.
The Express visited Charlotte Street on Wednesday, and it was business as usual at the lower end. However, upper Charlotte Street, where the killing occurred, was a virtual ghost town.
A fruit vendor who sold fruits from a van on upper Charlotte Street mere metres from where Diaz was killed said he was not willing to speak to the media. He was visibly shaken and emotional about the killing. “Don’t ask me anything. Go and ask the police commissioner, or ask (Prime Minister Dr Keith) Rowley. Don’t ask me one single thing about nothing; this killing is too ridiculous. All of you are asking the wrong people these questions,” the vendor said.
While some on Social Media immediately assumed the victim was a "miscreant deserving of his fate" Others who knew him and of him gave a different perspective:
When Jahiem Diaz was shot and killed on Charlotte Street on Tuesday, he was selling water to provide for his younger siblings.
Melba John, who knew Diaz, said he (Diaz) took up the challenge some years ago to care for his young siblings.
“Right after Jahiem’s mother had her baby, she died of cancer, and he took up the challenge to mind his little brother, and he did a very good job. He took care of that child as if it were his own. He never left that child anywhere, and he provided for that child. Now what is going to happen? There is so much I want to say about this, but I am too emotional,” John said.
Business owners and regular visitors to Charlotte Street voiced their dismay at the direction things are going
Sandra Wells, 70, who frequently spends time liming with friends on Charlotte Street, said she was concerned about the crime situation.
“I retired and I live by myself, so I do come out on Charlotte Street every day to play Play Whe and talk with a few friends because I have nothing to do. But this killing really dampens things a bit. I am very concerned about it because I love to come out and take a little breeze,” Wells said.
A business owner who did not want to be named said this country is going down a dangerous road.
“We are going down a dangerous road as a society. This is our capital city, and these brazen killings should not occur like this. Killers feeling confident enough to kill like this tells you that we are in trouble. Businesses will continue to be in trouble once these kinds of crimes continue,” the business owner said. Chad Felix, who has operated an appliance store on Charlotte Street for over 20 years, said, “This Charlotte Street is not like long ago. Charlotte Street used to be a busy and popular place to shop, but over the years, things changed. It progressed from criminals snatching bags to murder. Today is a really low-energy day. If you look around, you will see how dead the place is.”
CITATION/CREDIT: Some Excerpts are from The Express Newspaper