PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Mar 31, CMC – At least three people were shot and killed as gunmen fired on a group of people in a village in Maraval, west of here on Thursday night, police said.

They said that eight people were in a group on the roadway in the Le Platte Village when a motor vehicle pulled up and gunshots were heard. Five people were shot while three others were said to have received superficial injuries.

The authorities said Collin Letren, 25, Kayode Critchlow, 24 and Joel Le Platte, 35, were killed, while Dominique Le Platte and Dayna Le Platte were also injured.

Media reports said that the gunmen had come into the village in search of a gang leader.

Meanwhile, two brothers were shot and killed in Arima, east of here on Thursday as Trinidad and Tobago recorded at least  125 murders so far this year.

Police said Joel and George Hoyte were standing outside their home in Arima when a vehicle pulled up and the occupants pointed machine-guns at the brothers hitting them several times. One of the gunmen is reported to have come out of the vehicle and fired several shots in the bodies of the two brothers.

No arrests have been made in any of the killings.