By Aaron Humes: Police are currently investigating a shooting that left two men injured on the Phillip Goldson Highway on May 5. The incident occurred around 3:20 PM, when authorities received reports of gunfire near Mile 4.5.
Officers arrived on the scene to find a severely damaged Nissan Rogue, which had bullet holes. The victims, identified as 37-year-old Hubert Baptist and 24-year-old Eric Frazier, were traveling from Ladyville to Belize City when they were ambushed. Witnesses report that a group in a green Chevy Equinox opened fire on the vehicle, causing it to crash.
Both Baptist and Frazier were transported to hospital and are currently in stable condition. The police have initiated a thorough investigation, and early indications suggest that the shooting may be linked to an internal conflict among local gangs.
ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer, gave details: “The investigation is still ongoing much like the incident that I reported earlier, we have retrieved some video footage and that video footage has provided some clarity as to the players in this incident and certainly it would want to appear from the information that we have so far that it is connected to some internal rift within that area being the area known as Back a Land…”
In response to concerns about potential retaliation following the shooting, police have implemented various strategies to prevent further violence as ASP Smith noted: “Our operations that are in place have yielded some success. What I can say is that we would have intercepted a vehicle last night that we believe may have been a part of an intended retaliation. But as you would know, the department’s and the government’s response to incidents as such is not solely police related in terms of operations; it is also intervention-related, and certainly the Leadership Intervention Unit and the other social partners are being engaged to see how we can address this situation.”
Police investigations continue.
The post Highway shootout: Gangland wars suspected as two left hospitalized appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Aaron Humes: Police are currently investigating a shooting that left two men injured on the Phillip Goldson Highway on May 5. The incident occurred around 3:20 PM, when authorities received reports of gunfire near Mile 4.5. Officers arrived on the scene to find a severely damaged Nissan Rogue, which had bullet holes. The victims,
The post Highway shootout: Gangland wars suspected as two left hospitalized appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
