By Aaron Humes: A shooting incident occurred outside the Midnight Lounge & Night Club on Newtown Barracks early on Friday morning, leading to the arrest of three men and one woman. Guadalupe Pedro Escalante, 28, a construction worker from Raccoon Street, and 19-year-old Kenyon Maskall from Maskall Street, both appeared before a Senior Magistrate, charged with various firearm-related offences. Also charged are Norman Grant, 20, of Amara Avenue, and Sherry Card, 31, of Tigris Street, also with keeping unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
At today’s press briefing in Belize City, ASP Stacy Smith confirmed the incident was triggered by a reported dispute at the nightclub. The early morning altercation began around 2:30 a.m. on Friday, January 16, when the two men became embroiled in a verbal dispute with unknown individuals inside the nightclub. Following the argument, an exchange of gunfire ensued after both Maskall and Escalante exited the venue. Police responded, arriving at the scene to find multiple expended casings littering the street. Investigators identified Escalante as the driver of a red Kia Soul vehicle parked nearby, where a search revealed a .38 revolver, five expended shells, and 24 live rounds of .22 ammunition.
According to ASP Smith, “The investigators were aware that a second vehicle was involved in this incident, having reviewed footages from Police Control Room and Fusion Center, and at about 1:45 PM on January 16, GI-3 personnel, having gathered intel and conducted a covert surveillance, intercepted a black Ford Escape on Tigris Street, believed to be the second vehicle that was involved in the incident. Onboard that vehicle were [Norman] Grant and [Sheree] Card, and a search of that vehicle resulted in the discovery of a black nine-millimeter Taurus brand pistol, and a magazine containing four live rounds of nine-millimeter ammunition.”
During police interviews, Maskall admitted to firing at a group in a black Ford, claiming self-defense after they had shot at him. In contrast, Escalante chose to remain silent. Both men were charged with discharging a firearm in public, keeping a firearm without a license, and keeping ammunition without a license.
In court, Maskall initially pleaded guilty to one count but changed his plea to not guilty upon learning of the potential prison time associated with a conviction. Both men were denied bail and remanded to the Belize Central Prison, awaiting their next court appearance scheduled for February 27.
The post Duo charged in Midnight Lounge shooting exchange remanded to prison appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Aaron Humes: A shooting incident occurred outside the Midnight Lounge & Night Club on Newtown Barracks early on Friday morning, leading to the arrest of three men and one woman. Guadalupe Pedro Escalante, 28, a construction worker from Raccoon Street, and 19-year-old Kenyon Maskall from Maskall Street, both appeared before a Senior Magistrate, charged
The post Duo charged in Midnight Lounge shooting exchange remanded to prison appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.