7 News Belize

"Baba" Killed In City
posted (October 22, 2012)
There was a murder in the city on Saturday. The target was Keon Francis, who survived an attempt on his life in July of last year. At that time police recovered 24 expended shells from the scene and Francis was shot to the arm and rib cage.

He survived that one, but on Saturday a gunman found him in broad daylight - just a block away from where that first shooting occurred. Monica found out how the man they called Baba was killed.

Monica Bodden reporting
The shooting of 21 year old Keon Johnson happened here on Central American Boulevard around 5:20 on Saturday evening.

According to police, Johnson who is known as BABA was walking on Central American Boulevard heading towards the direction of Neal's Penn Road when he was approached by a gunman who opened fire on him.

BABA managed to run in front of South Side Butane Depot where the murderer caught up with him and continued to fire shots.

Rafael Martinez - Police Press Officer
"There was a murder in Belize city on Saturday the 20th day of October, 2012. Police visited the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where they saw the body of KEON JOHNSON (FRANCIS), 21yrs, Belizean Construction Worker of # 9886, Jane Usher Boulevard, Belize City with (1) apparent gunshot to the center of the chest, (1) to upper right arm, and (1) to upper left leg. Investigation revealed that about 5:20 pm, Keon Johnson (Francis) was walking on Central American Boulevard from Faber's Road heading towards the direction of Neal's Penn Road when he was approached by a dark complexioned male person who fired several shots at Keon. KEON reportedly ran in front of South Side Butane Depot where the murderer caught up with him and inflicted the fatal injuries. Keon was pronounced dead at 5:45pm. (3) Aquila brand 9mm expended shells were retrieved from the scene. Police have detained a 23 year old Belize City man for this latest murder."

Keon Francis was pronounced dead at 5:45on Saturday evening - 25 minutes after his attack. His neighbor and friend heard the shots rang out. He told us what he saw.

Nedal McLaren, Friend of Deceased
"I didn't see him but he was talking out here - I know his voice. I wasn't paying it any attention; I was just doing my own thing. He went and that's when I heard shots fired. There was so many people, the day was bright - it didn't look like anything was happening but I heard shots and shortly after I saw a body laid there in full red. I was going through the door and when I saw it was "Baba" I turned back."

3 - 9mm expended shells were retrieved from the scene. So far police have detained a 23 year old Belize City man for the murder.

Nedal McLaren, Friend of Deceased
"He's a youth that I knew from he was a child and even though in this community we got this stigma on street men - I think that it is us who created that because when we think about "Baba" growing up - nobody cared if he went to school, nobody cared about "Baba's" mother who have many children. At the end of the day they have to make sure that their children eats and the children has to make sure that they survive also."

And allegations were made - where a senior police officer is being accused of knowing about a certain situation and could have prevented Francis's murder.

Nedal McLaren, Friend of Deceased
"This one here "Baba" I hold this on you Mr. Dawson because you knew what happened and you refuse to deal with that situation the legal way, so what you did was let it play out the street way and I know that you know what happened. The head of CIB - these brothers are worthless. The public doesn't needs to know what went down right there, but they will still know because what gone down right there is wrong."

"You see that camera? You know how many people got killed under that camera - close range to that camera. I could tell you at least 15 people got killed since that camera gone up no less than 50 - 100 feet from that camera and it didn't catch anybody - it didn't catch anything. Two to three policemen lives around here but nobody saw anything. At the end of the day "Baba" life went in just like that. Hear what will happen now; somebody will meet somebody and another killing will happen again for nothing."

We spoke to Superintendent Alden Dawson whom McLaren referred to in that story. He told us he has no knowledge of any situation McLaren is referring to.

As noted in the story, one person has been detained for the shooting.

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