Gangster Sean "Bill" Francis's colourful life ended in a barrage of bullets on Monday night when gunmen opened fire on him with a high-powered rifle

Gangster Sean "Bill" Francis's colourful life ended in a barrage of bullets on Monday night when gunmen opened fire on him with a high-powered rifle as he stood outside a mini-mart, opposite his home at Vegas, Morvant.Francis, 41, was shot some 50 times, according to homicide detectives. He died on his way to the Port of Spain General Hospital.His brother, Glen, 29, and stepson, Kevon "Bumper" Inniss, 18, who were also injured in the attack, were up to press time, both listed in stable condition at the hospital."He was killed because he was charismatic. A lot of people felt he was a threat because he was able to mobilise the people single-handedly," Shivonne, 24, one of Francis's seven children, said outside the St James Forensic Science Centre yesterday.The drama unfolded around 9 p.m. on Monday as the trio stood together, talking on a staircase outside the Love First Mini-Mart in Morvant when the passengers of a heavily-tinted, white Nissan B-15 motor car drove past and an occupant opened fire on them. All three were hit. dried bloodstains from Monday's gun attack were still visible on the staircase. But the few residents who were outside declined to comment about what took place the night before. And homicide detectives are now stumped as to the motive behind the killing. Who would be brave enough to enter Francis's stronghold, kill him and escape unhurt?One motive detectives are currently working on is that Francis's slaying was directly linked to an arson attack in Beetham earlier in the day on Monday.In that incident, five houses, in Phase Four, Beetham Gardens, were destroyed by a fire said to be intentionally set, in order to gather information about the mysterious disappearance of four illegal guns.The person responsible for the disappearance of those guns is said to have approached Francis for protection and also hid the stolen guns in Vegas.But Francis's relatives have denied this. Instead, they believe his death was triggered by jealousy.In 1997, Francis was in charge of the Port of Spain region of the Unemployment Relief Programme."He was a man of peace. There are many misconceptions about him but he never condoned violence, and anyone close to my father knows that he stood for peace and love," Shivonne said as she waited for the autopsy on her father to be completed.
"And anyone who wants to take the law into their own hands is not a friend of my father. He was not a criminal or gangster, and we will try to maintain what he stands for," she said.
And the police are hoping this call will be heeded, but they are expecting the worst. There will be bloodshed, Morvant police believe.In 2006, Francis brokered a "peace accord" between rival factions in the Morvant area, with the aim of reducing the level of violence in the beleaguered community.