By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

RELATIVES of Eleson Pierre, the country’s latest murder victim, say they are shocked by his killing, describing him as a “humble” and sweet person who didn’t bother anyone.

Pierre, 21, who was out on bail for a serious offence, was shot and killed on Lexington Avenue on Wednesday after being ambushed by gunmen outside a home in the area.

His death — the country’s 57th murder of the year—has left his family devastated.

They are no strangers to gun violence, having lost his elder brother to a shooting over a decade ago.

His mother, Carmeal Estimable, told Eyewitness News that she had been warned that someone was out to kill her son.

“He say mummy I ain’t do nobody nothing. I ain’t have nothing to worry about. He said God watching me. That’s what my son tell me. My son never kill nobody,” she said.

She said her son, a diabetic, had left home to purchase medicine and report to police as part of his bail conditions.

During the visit, he stopped to hail a family friend, only to meet his death.

“Why. What I do to people to do that to my children?” the grieving mother said, with tears streaming down her face.

His cousin, Theresa Amilien, said she spoke to Pierre just hours before his death.

They were making plans to plait his hair. However, hours laters, a friend messaged her at work, saying he had been shot.

“I called my mommy I didn’t want scare her with the news but come on that’s her brother child her only nephew and she loved that boy when I told her she just start calling out his name and I heard she ran but the phone disconnect,” she told The Tribune.

Police could not say if the murder was connected to recent weekend murders, believed to be linked to gang violence

Ms Amilien said the family is not speculating about the motive, but simply wants justice.

“Like I said, my cousin don’t bother nobody is see him unless he go to the place he use to hang out he don’t even go out. He stay within the grove,” she added.

“That boy always walking on foot. He didn’t had nothing to be scared of cause he know he didn’t do nun to be watching over his back.”

She described Pierre as caring and resourceful, who was loved by all who knew him.

He did not have a specific occupation but took on various jobs, such as carpentry and landscaping, working whenever opportunities arose.