Street warfare continued this weekend leaving one man dead, and two major
underworld figures recovering in the hospital. Later on we'll tell you about
the shooting of Big Tom and James Young, but we begin with the Friday night
killing of Cassius Meyers. Tonight three more children, the youngest only 5
months old, are without a father. The man they use to call daddy was murdered
execution style on Friday night by someone he once called his friend. So why
did a friend turn on a friend? We tried to find out.
Keith Swift Reporting,
Police say that around 7:15 on Saturday evening Cassius Meyers was standing
here at the corner of West Collet Canal and Vernon Street when he was approached
two men on bicycles. One of those men pulled out a gun and opened fire. Cassius'
body was literally riddled with bullets -he had wounds to his left chest, the
left side of his neck below the ear, his left shoulder, back of his left shoulder,
his thigh, and another two wounds to his lower back. He was killed just around
the corner from his home on Cedar Street, which is where we found his mother
- Marie Anthony.
Marie Anthony, Mother
"I was at home and I got the message and I went to hospital and when
I got there the doctor told me he was already dead."
And reportedly someone might have wanted Cassius dead because of his involvement
as a witness to the murder last week of Jose Noe Barrow. It is a connection
that police press officer G. Michael Reid didn't confirm. And it is an allegation
that Cassius' mother bitterly disputes.
G. Michael Reid, Police Press Officer
"The police are investigating to see if it is somehow connected the
earlier murders. We believe that in fact most of these recent shootings have
been connected to groups that have had misunderstandings with each other."
Keith Swift,
Is it that Cassius was a witness in the Noel Barrow murder and that is why he
may have been killed?
G. Michael Reid,
"We don't think so. We believe that he might have been somehow connected
to the individuals who were involved in that shooting back there but at this
point the evidence does not lead to that."
Keith Swift,
Was he a witness?
G. Michael Reid,
"I am saying that the evidence does not lead to that at this point,
that is with the police."
Supt. Chester Williams, C.I.B. - Commander
"Cassius Meyer's shooting resulted from the shooting of Noel Barrow.
Myers not a witness to the Barrow incident. It is not because of that and I
do not want the wrong message be sounded it out to the community that would
instill fear in people who may want to be potential witnesses for the police."
Police have arrested 23-year-old Alburn Plunkett for Cassius' murder. Plunkett
was allegedly friends with Cassius. And though there has been an arrest, Marie
Anthony says that doesn't make it any easier because is still without a son.
Marie Anthony,
"I don't know why they killed my son. They took away my help from me.
He is my help. He does everything for me. I don't really don't know why they
did it and if they knew the pain they have me in right now, I don't know what
they would do with themselves for committing that crime. It was an innocent
person. I miss him every minute every second. From Friday I haven't eaten. I
can't eat, I can't drink - I am full."
Alburn Plunkett appeared in court this afternoon and was remanded to prison
until January 29th.