By RHONDOR DOWLAT and NALINEE SEELAL Tuesday, May 13 2008

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SHOT DEAD: Winston Boodram...

TWO killings between Sunday night and yesterday afternoon have pushed the country’s murder toll for this year to 168, police sources said.

On Sunday at about 10.30 pm, audio/visual technician Winston Boodram, 28, who worked at the Parliament Station (Channel 11) was shot through the head during a car-jacking in Arima. And in the other incident, a 23-year-old man was shot dead at his Upper Factory Road, Diego Martin home at about 1 pm yesterday.

In the Boodram shooting, police said that the Queen Elizabeth Street, Petit Valley resident was seated in his parked Nissan Almera vehicle along Cocorite Road in Arima in company with a female friend when two armed men approached them and announced a hold-up.

The men, police said, ordered Boodram and his friend out of the car and ordered them to lie on the ground. One of the men, police said, then placed a gun to Boodram’s head and pulled the trigger. The men then got into Boodram’s car and sped off. Boodram’s friend ran to a nearby house and begged for help. Boodram was taken to the Arima District Hospital where he was pronounced dead-on-arrival.

When Newsday visited the house of mourning, relatives said his grandmother was not taking the news of his death all that well. An aunt, who asked not to be identified, said Boodram started work in the Audio/Visual Department of the House of Parliament a year ago. Up to late yesterday, no arrests were made.

In the other incident, police said at about 1 pm yesterday, Robin Weeks was at his Factory Road, Diego Martin home in company with his wife and two children when he was called out of his home by someone known to him. Two loud explosions were heard and Weeks was found lying on the ground. On Saturday, Jason Fredericks, 30, was walking along Factory Road, when he was approached by a gunman who shot him dead. Police said these two shootings were not related. Investigations are continuing.