7 News Belize

Street Legend Lanza Killed
posted (April 10, 2012)
As we told you earlier, a panorama of gun violence unfolded this weekend - leaving three dead - two of the homicides happened in the Lake Independence area of Belize City.

We start on Saturday night with the killing of Herman Lanza. Lanza's name may be familiar because he gained some notoriety after serving a 13 year prison sentence and publicly speaking on the media about leaving his former life of gang violence.

And then, he was shot in the neck in March of 2010 - but survived. Recently, he had started working as a Doctor's Driver, was active at church and seemed to walking the straight and narrow. But his past caught up with him explosively on Saturday night very close to his family home in Lake-I.

We spoke to his family today about his ruthless execution:..

Jules Vasquez reporting
37 year old Herman Lanza was shot here at the corner of Casuarina and Poinsettia Streets in the Lake Independence Area on Saturday night. Police say he was riding his bike just around the corner from his family home on Black Orchid Street.

The bloodstains on the street show where he fell - riddled by multiple gunshots to his hands, abdomen, back and forehead. His sister - who asked to appear off camera - told us his body was shredded:

Voice of: Patricia Lanza, Sister of Deceased
"When I ran down the street by the Chinese shop I saw my brother brutally murdered on the street. I haven't seen anyone murdered like that; he was torn up. Some many men came to kill one person for nothing because he didn't do anyone anything. He didn't murder anyone."

"He was torn up; his hands were torn up. I lifted up his head to tried to speak to him. he was trying to tell me something, but I couldn't understand what he was telling me."

Police found four expended 12 Gauge cartridges and 2 9mm Lugar brand expended shells on the scene - both weapons were used to execute this colourful character with quite a history in the streets - he told us as much himself in 2009:

Herman Lanza, 2009
"I am not into violence and those things, but right now they have people in society who want to kill me."

Jules Vasquez
"How will you survive out here now if you are a gang member, you have man who still has "beef" with you or who still feel that when they see you something will set off, how will you survive out here now without get back right into trouble again?"

Herman Lanza
"Well I could tell anyone of them in society that if they come to kill me, they have to kill me by the grace of the good Lord in Jesus Christ's name because I am a man who doesn't fear no boy out here right now. I don't live in fear. Anytime you want to kill me, I will be by myself on my bike and my ride dah all black right now."

"I got love in my heart same way too, and I got respect for everybody out here, even the younger "hurry come ups" who are trying to send to kill me. I respect them too but I won't let them come jump around me simple to try juk out my marrow like that because I know all of them, but if they kill me, I give my life to God already, and I left it in God's hand but they have to come and kill me in Jesus Christ name if they want to kill me. I am not running from them, and I don't fear them, their vehicle which they are circling in, the gun they have on them; I am not running."

And he didn't run when they came looking for him on Friday night.

Voice of: Brother of Deceased
"The man fought for his life because you could see it clearly. They shot off two hands. He was fighting his way."

Remarkably, despite being shot as many as eight times, Lanza survived briefly and died during emergency surgery at the KHMH. Lanza was the father of one child.

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