And while that child was sleeping when she was killed, 69 year old Apolonio Hernandez was finishing up some early morning shopping when a gunman targeted him. Like the child's murder, this one makes no sense as the senior citizen wasn't a threat to anyone and didn't deal in shady business.
But on Sunday morning on west Canal, a gunman targeted him for a single fatal shot to the head. 7News was on the scene:
Jules Vasquez, Reporting
Police put another body into the back of a pickup truck on Sunday morning. This time it was 69 year old Apolonio Hernandez known as Cowboy. He was killed on West Canal at 7:10 am. His Daughter Lisa Alvarez says her father had simply gone to buy some rice.
Lisa Alvarez, Daughter
"He had gone to the store early this morning around 7 o' clock to purchase some items and we kind of got worried around 8 o' clock when he didn't come back because he isn't somebody that would take long on such an errand."
He didn't take long. He was killed when a lone gunman came up from behind and shot him in the temple. The old man who was riding a bicycle, fell to the ground dead. His family has concluded that there was no motive: the shooter killed him just to see him die:
Lisa Alvarez, Daughter
"I don't see any reason why somebody would want to kill a 69 years old man. But they way things are going in Belize I guess bullets are made for anyone. So they have no respect for children; they have no respect for older folks; they have no respect for females. I guess these guys don't need a reason. They just need a target."
The family discounted the theory that it has anything to do with Hernandez's stepson Kevin Alvarez who goes by the same nickname, Cowboy. He's on remand for murder and attempted murder and was recently stabbed in prison:
Lisa Alvarez, Daughter
"He is the father to my older brother Kevin Alvarez but I don't really see there is any kind of connection with my brother and with him, although I know there will be a lot of speculation to that effect but really and truly I don't think so or the family doesn't think so. We just think it was a random shooting."
A random target - and the definition of a senseless act which has left this family of 6 children and a wife more sad than angry:
Lisa Alvarez, Daughter
"Of course it has us angry but beyond the angry we are sad. We have a heavy sadness to the point where we can't feel anger right now. We are just trying to grieve and cope with the fact that our father has been taken away from us. I think the sadness and the sorrow overshadows the anger, we are more hurt."
A single expended shell was recovered from the scene. Police have no one detained.
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