After a cessation of violence in the wake of the September Celebrations that managed to last until early October, the nascent rivalry between Mayflower Street and Lake Independence appears to be flaring up again, with three shootings reported in two days.
Police sources remain mum, but Amandala has confirmed that Richard Russell, 27, was the intended target of an attack on Central American Boulevard near Pine Street just before midday.
Reports are that Russell was shot at by a man on a bike, but escaped unhurt. Russell was previously injured in a shooting incident on Central American Boulevard on August 1, for which Lake I residents Darren Banks, Austin Rowland, and Steven Zelaya were charged in court. They are scheduled to reappear in court in November.
Sources indicate a second shooting in the same area around 1:00 p.m. today, but there is no word as to who was shot at, why, or their condition.
These shootings follow on the heels of last night’s execution-style attack on Delone Bennett and Akeem Gotoy on Mahogany Street, for which police are seeking two suspects. Bennett has since died of his injuries at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.
When contacted in Punta Gorda Town tonight (where he is moderating a town meeting being attended by Minister of National Security, Carlos Perdomo), police press officer Clement Palacio indicated that he had heard about the shootings, but had no more information. Palacio promised a full rundown in the next regularly scheduled press release, and we will have more on this story in our next issue.