7 News Belize

Innocent Teen On Life Support After Gang Shooting
posted (April 27, 2011)
Tonight a 16 year old Belize City resident is in the KHMH - on life support after he was shot this morning, collateral damage in a neighborhood gang dispute. But the victim Trevor Neal is not a part of any gang; he's a working teenager, preparing to put himself through school.

But this morning, a cruel convergence of circumstances conspired against him: wrong place, wrong time, and wrong part of town.

Except he was not far from his home on Cemetery Road -but that area is part of a gang battlefield. And that's why this blameless teen was shot in the head. Monica Bodden reports:

Monica Bodden Reporting:

16 year old Trevor Neal is described by his family, co-workers and friends as funny, quiet, humble, and innocent.

Edward Hoare, Father
"It's very hard right now. Never in my wildest dreams had I expected something like this to happen to him. Knowing the type of up-bringing he got, you know -- Trevor has never been out of my house later than 8 o'clock in the night. So he didn't have time to associate with any kind of gangs or anything like that."

The teenage boy was shot under his left arm and in the head early this morning. The bullet entered through his forehead and exited from behind.

According to doctors, the young boy is brain dead - But despite the grim prognosis - he is still hanging on to life at the KHMH - While his family and friends are praying for a miracle.

Edward Hoare
"We have to wait until the doctors came out to tell us what happened, and all they told us was that he got shot in his forehead. They assumed - I cannot say definitely - that it entered from his forehead and came out through the back. I don't know if that is exactly what happened."

Monica Bodden
"And what are the doctors saying the family at this time?"

Edward Hoare
"Well right now, he's in a very critical situation. They don't think he will be able to make it."

The shooting happened at the corner of Cemetery Road and West Street around 7:20 this morning.

Bloodstains on the street - indicate where he fell off his bike.

It is believed that Trevor had just left his home - just a couple houses away from where he was shot - and was heading to work.

Monica Bodden
"What do you understand happened this morning?"

Edward Hoare
"That's a part of the story that isn't clear to me at this moment. All I knew - when his co-worker came by, he told us that Trevor got shot, but he didn't tell us where. When we got in the hospital, he was already in the operating theatre."

Reports from off the street is that the gunmen were targeting another area resident who was shot up in this same area on December 20 of last year-

But when he ran into a house for cover, the shooters who were in a car turned their gun on 16 year Trevor Neal - who has no involvement in, or any gang affiliations.

Edward Hoare
"It's a very sad and senseless situation. Trevor is a guy that doesn't give any trouble. All he does is that he goes from his work to his home. He doesn't hang out; he is not affiliated with any gang or anything like that. Let me make that perfectly clear: he does not associate with any kinds of gangs at all."

Monica Bodden
"Actually he didn't even grow up in that area, right?"

Edward Hoare
"No, he grew up right here in Belama. All his life he grew up right here in Belama."

Monica Bodden
"He was just watching a house for somebody?"

Edward Hoare
He was watching a house for a friend who went away."

The teenage boy - had just recently celebrated his 16th birthday had big dreams of becoming an electrical engineer and was planning on attending a Vo-tech institution for the new school year in September.

In the meantime he was a part-time mechanic with Truck Parts - and has grown to be loved and respected for his hard work and dedication by the company.






Robert Hunter-Co-worker, Truck Parts
"There are many times that I sat with him, many times I tried to give him advice, and was a very humble guy. He wasn't the type that would erupt or anything. He just listened and would say, 'Okay, I'll try that; I'll do that.' He was too kind a guy to really tell you anything bad about him. Whatever he had would come in and he would share with us. He would be running jokes, or he would be really quiet and doing his work. He was only a workable kid; he wasn't the type that you couldn't speak to or couldn't ask to do anything. Most of the time, you could ask him well, 'Trevor, can you do so and so for me?' 'Okay sir.' It was just like that so hearing what really happened, it really hurts deep down inside because is not the type of person that would be out there doing things out of the way."



Edward Hoare
"Very cool, calm, always likes to help the neighbors when they need help. He was very mannerly, I could say. Never a day Trevor came and someone in the neighborhood came and say that Trevor told me this or that, or he was rude to me. He was always a yes ma'am or yes sir kind of person."

Reporter
"He had plans to go back to school too, right?"

Edward Hoare
"Yes, he had plans to go back to school in September."

Today family and friends of Trevor are still holding on to faith - Hoping he doesn't become just another innocent young man who has been cheated out of a life - that is yet to be lived.

Edward Hoare
"I didn't think that would come to my doorstep, never, yo know. Because, as I said, the way we raised Trevor, we could never imagine something like this would have come at my door, not in my wildest dreams."

Monica Bodden
"You want justice?"

Edward Hoare
Yes... I am not laughing at the question you ask. I would want to say yes, but after looking at the news everyday and see what I see, that is left to the imagination."

Robert Hunter
"Why are you killing each other, I don't know, but today, I have the opportunity of pleading with the guys out there. Why destroy us? Why are you trying to destroy us?"

At newstime, Trevor Neal's condition remains very grim and at 6:15, his father told us that they are at the hospital where doctors just informed them that there is no hope for recovery and it is just a matter of time before his son dies.

Truly a tragedy, and police have detained one person - who was reportedly seen by multiple witnesses. That suspect is well known to police and was charged for another shooting in the area some years ago. Police believe that the shooting is retaliation for the street execution of Avondale Hogbone Trumback two weeks ago.

Reports at the time of that murder said that Trumback was killed because of a drug dispute involving turf in Taylor's alley - which is near to today's shooting.

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