Shooting

At about 11:00pm on Thursday, August 7th, Corozal Police received information of a shooting incident and visited Bumpers Restaurant situated on 7th Avenue in Corozal Town. There they found 17 expended 9mm shells on the street and what appeared to be bullet holes on a metal shutter at the business place of one Omar Vellos and on a white Dodge Ram van which was parked inside the yard beside the restaurant. Preliminary investigations reveal that sometime before 11:00pm, 35 year old Michael Gentle of the Rainbow Town Area in Corozal Town was inside the establishment with three acquaintances when he heard the gunshots outside. Shortly after, he came out to investigate and saw a blue four door car speeding off in the direction of Orange Walk Town. No one was injured, and Police are investigating.

Aggravated Assault

Mr. Yukkai Kwok, 53 years, the owner of Kevin’s Bar reported to Belize City Police that on Friday, August 8th at 1:15am he was inside of the bar when a male person of dark complexion, medium height and slim built entered holding a chrome handgun pointed in his direction. According to Kwok, a customer pulled out a licensed 9mm Smith and Wesson and fired five rounds in his direction, hitting the would be robber once in the left pelvic area. Police have detained a 16 year old minor of a Mahogany Street address pending charges.

Aggravated Assault

Mr. Shawn Ortiz, a 27 year old taxi driver of #24 Croton Lane in Belize City, reported that on Friday, August 8th at 2:45am he was driving his red Toyota Corolla on Water Lane behind a red Volkswagen Jetta that he says was driving recklessly. Upon reaching the corner of Alexandria Street, Ortiz claims the Jetta stopped and a male person of brown complexion exited from the front passenger side. The person allegedly approached him and tried to punch him but missed. Ortiz says he pulled out a machete, but the man then pulled out a handgun and fired several shots at him, all of them missing. The left rear window of the Toyota Corolla was broken. Nobody was injured but Police are looking for a suspect for questioning.

Robbery

Mr. Michael Ramos, 40 years, reported to Belize City Police that at about 2:10pm on Friday, while at an address on George Street, he was approached by two male persons, both of dark complexion, one slim built with a low hair cut and the other armed with a pistol resembling a 9mm. According to Ramos, the gunman pointed the weapon at him and told him not to move, while the other took off his gold chain valued at $3000 and medal valued at $1500. The men also got away with two cell phones and $200. Police continue to investigate.

Unlawful Carnal Knowledge

At about 2:10pm on Friday, August 8th, a 14 year old minor of Trial Farm Village, accompanied by her mother, visited the Orange Walk Police Station. The minor told Police that sometime in the month of June, 2008, she was walking on San Lorenzo Road heading to church when her boyfriend approached her and they both went into the nearby bushes where they had sexual intercourse. She added that they had sex on several different occasions in June. A medical examiner certified that the minor is pregnant. Police continue to investigate and are looking for the suspect.

Unlawful Carnal Knowledge

At about 4:20pm on Friday, August 8th, a fifteen year old minor of Guinea Grass Village, accompanied by her mother, reported to Orange Walk Police that on July 13th, 20th and 21st 2008 she visited a friend’s house to meet her boyfriend and had sex with him. Police have detained a suspect pending charges.

Shooting Incident 

Acting upon information received at 12:45pm on Saturday, August 9th, Police visited the Trauma Room of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where they observed a male person identified as 18 year old David Burgess of #8 T-Street, Port Loyola. Burgess had an apparent gunshot wound in the center of his forehead. Initial investigations revealed that Burgess was transported to the KHMH in a gray car. He was admitted to ward in a critical condition. (Burgess later succumbed to his injuries, and Police have made an arrest in what is now being classified as murder.)

Shooting Incident

On Saturday, August 9th at about 1:25am Police visited Kim’s Lounge located on Church Street. There they observed Doreen Mejia, a 23 year old domestic of #150 Antelope Street with a gunshot wound above the right knee. Initial investigations revealed that Mejia was standing in front of Beauty Point on Church Street where she saw a group of young men standing in front of the Beauty Plaza and heard gunshots coming from that direction. She then felt a burning on her right leg and realized that she had been shot. Police are investigating.

Home Invasion

Acting on information received at 10:55pm on Sunday, August 10th, Belize City Police visited the KHMH Trauma Room where they found one Sandra Ruiz, 39 years of a Meighan Avenue address. She was observed with bruises and cut wounds to the head. Police also found her daughter, Ana Ruiz, 8 years old with two cut wounds to the center of the head. Initial investigations revealed that Sandra Ruiz and her daughter Ana were at home watching television in the bedroom, while Ruiz’s other daughter Nadia Prado, 13 years, was in the bathroom taking a shower. A dark skinned man with an afro allegedly gained entry to the house, attacked Sandra Ruiz and raped her, after which she was bludgeoned with a hammer. Her daughter Ana was also hit to the head with the hammer. Nadia, who witnessed the man attack her mother, locked the bathroom door, and when she got a chance ran outside to seek help. At about 10:45 Sandra Ruiz was pronounced dead, while 8 year old Sandra Ruiz lies in a coma, suffering from skull fractures in three places. (Police have since arrested one man and have charged him for the heinous crime – see story elsewhere in this issue.)

Shooting

Acting on information received at 8:00pm on Sunday, August 10th, Police visited the KHMH Trauma Room where they observed 43 year old Adrian Harris of a Flamboyant Street address. Harris was suffering from six gunshot wounds – two to the center of his back, one on the right shoulder, one on the left shoulder, one on the left side of the neck and one on the right collar bone. Initial investigations reveal that the victim was inside his house when he heard someone calling out for him. He allegedly went outside, and that is when somebody hiding behind the house fired the shots at him. Robinson was admitted to the KHMH in critical condition. Police are investigating.

Unlawful Carnal Knowledge

On Sunday, August 10th at 5:00pm a 13 year old female minor of Orange Walk Town, accompanied by her mother, reported to Police that on Saturday at 4:00pm she went with her Mr. intercourse. A medical examination certified that the hymen is not intact. Police have detained the minor pending charges of unlawful carnal knowledge.

Murder

Acting on information received at 7:07pm on Monday, August 11th, Police visited the KHMH Trauma Room where they observed one Raymark Flowers Jr., 22years, of #3C Flamboyant Street, with a single apparent gunshot wound to the left side of the temple. Flowers was pronounced dead on arrival at the KHMH. Initial reports indicate that Flowers was along with friends about 20 yards away from his house when shots were heard. He was then seen lying on the ground bleeding from the left side of his head. Police have detained one suspect in connection with the murder.

Shooting Incident

Mr. Wayne Miller Jr., 16 years of #78 Jaguar Avenue, visited Belize City Police in the company of his mother and reported that at about 6:45pm on the 11th August, while riding his bicycle through an alley between Neal Penn Road and Boots Crescent, he was approached from behind by a male person with dark complexion. The man took out a handgun from the waist of his pants and fired two shots at Miller, who was shot in the left shoulder and fell to the ground. The gunman then road off in the direction of Kraal Road and made good his escape. Police are investigating.

Robbery

Acting on information received at 11:40am on Monday, August 11th, Belize City Police visited Baymen Cable Company located at #27 Baymen Avenue. At the location Police spoke to the cashier who reported that at about 10:30am she was in the company of co-workers and a security guard when two male persons of dark complexion entered the office pretending to be selling newspapers. One was medium built with a round face and bald head while the other was slim built with a narrow face and a thin mustache. Once inside one of the men hit the security guard in the head with a 9mm pistol and told the cashier not to move, to hand over the money and not to touch the phone. The men stole $1076.00 in cash before robbing everyone present of their personal belongings and cash. The security guard was relieved of his firearm and the men tried to force the cashier to open the safe, but she was unable to do so. The culprits left the room locking the cashiers inside, and while leaving the building a customer who had entered to make payments was also robbed. Both persons then fled the scene. Police are investigating.

Indecent Assault

At about 10:30pm on Sunday, August 10th, a domestic from Hope Creek Village reported to Police that at around 2:00pm that day she sent her 9 year old daughter with her brother to her grandmother’s house at mile 20 on the Stann Creek Valley Road. At around mile 19, the man got off the bus with his niece and took her through some bushes to a creek. There he ordered her to take off her clothes and then proceeded to perform oral sex on her. A medical examination certified that the child’s hymen is still intact. Police have detained a 38 year old man from Orange Walk pending charges of attempted carnal knowledge.

Shooting Incident

Acting on information received at 8:55pm on Tuesday, August 12th, Belize City Police visited the corner of Fairweather Street and Mex Avenue where they saw one Augustus Gomez, 17years, with a gunshot wound to the left side of the head. Gomez was transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where he underwent immediate surgery. Initial investigations reveal that Gomez was walking with a friend on Fairweather Street when they were approached by a male of dark complexion riding a bicycle. The man pointed a 9mm pistol at Gomez’s head and fired one shot, causing the said injury. The gunman then fled the scene on his bicycle. Gomez was issued to ward in critical condition.

Carnal Knowledge

A 7 year old minor of Sand Hill Village in the Belize District, accompanied by her mother, visited Police and reported that sometime between 12:30pm and 5:00pm on July 30th, she was at her babysitter’s house, located at the corner of Guadalupe and Hopkins Streets when her babysitter’s husband, known to her as Mr. Victor, took her into the bathroom and had oral and vaginal sex with her. A medical examination certified that the child was carnally known. The man was detained by Police pending charges.

Burglary

Mr. Orson Elrington, 27 years, reported that at about 1:50pm on Tuesday, August 12th 2008, he met a brown complexioned male placing his stage inside a pickup truck. The driver of the truck, of Hispanic descent, then sped off from in front of the Putt Putt Bar and Grill. Elrington made further checks and discovered that his business place had been burglarized.  Stolen were a wash hand basin, a microwave oven, a deep frying stove, a refrigerator and other assorted items valued at $2,325.00. Police are investigating.

Aggravated Burglary

On Tuesday, August 12th at about 9:30am, acting upon information received, Police visited the residence of Adelida Lopez, a Guatemalan housewife of Frank’s Eddy Village in the Cayo District. She told them that at about 2:00am on Monday, while at home sleeping with her family, she was awakened by a noise and upon making checks she saw two Hispanic men with headlamps on their head, armed with what appeared to be a sawed off shotgun and a 9mm pistol. Lopez told Police she recognized one of them as Rony Cassassola of Frank’s Eddy Village. Both persons approached her and Cassassola attempted to pull down her underwear. She fought them off, and they both began walking around the house asking for money. In the end they made off with a stereo system and five bicycles. As they left the house they fired three shots. Police have since detained Rony Cassassola, 37 years, a Guatemalan labourer pending investigation.

Aggravated Burglary

Ms. Yesenia Rojas, 29 years, a businesswoman and owner of Belize Foam Factory located at 2 miles on the Western Highway reported to Police that at 10:30am on Wednesday, August 13th, she was at home when she heard her daughter screaming. She was just about to call the Police when she felt an object placed on her lower back and a voice telling her to hand over her phone and other items. Rojas then turned around and observed a dark complexioned male standing in front of her. A struggle ensued and Rojas was pushed to the floor. She then handed over her purse containing $300. The man made off with the cash and three cell phones. Police are investigating.