7 News Belize

Midday Murder On Busy Street
posted (November 8, 2012)
There was a midday murder on a busy Belize city street today. It happened on Vernon Street at a chicken store where four men went to pull off an armed robbery.

But, a long standing employee put up a fight - and it proved to be a fatal decision.

7news arrived on the scene shortly after - and here's what we saw:..

Daniel Ortiz reporting
The family of 54 year-old Dennis Williams, a resident of Supal Street, is grieving tonight, after he was shot to death while at his workplace at Three Star Quality Chicken establishment.

Indications are that he was shot in a robbery where 4 men targeted the establishment just before the lunch hour.

Raphael Martinez - Police Press officer
"At approximately 11:57 on the 8th November 2012, police responded to a 911 call of a robbery at the Three Star Quality Chicken establishment at #46 Vernon Street here in Belize City. Reportedly during the robbery a struggle ensued between one of the robbers carrying a firearm and an employee of that establishment. Allegedly during this struggle the firearm fell to the floor which was pick up by the accomplice and unfortunately he fired a shot and fatally wounded the employee of that establishment."

"Quick police response has led to the pursuits and detention of two Belize City men and the recovery of one 9mm pistol."

The police response to this crime in progress is admirable indeed, but to the family of Dennis Williams, it is no comfort. To them, it makes no difference because their loved one is dead.

Kassian Cadle - Niece of the Deceased
"I want to know why they kill my uncle because he is innocent and he doesn't harm anyone. He is not gang related, nothing to that extent. He is not a supervisor, a manager nor a boss - he doesn't have any money, so why would they want to let him be their target. They shouldn't have done that, they don't know how the family feel."

Voice of: Enid Williams - Sister of the Deceased
"The only thing I want to know is why was he their target? What has he done to them for his death because Desho is a very nice, sharing person, he could have a million dollars and make sure that everybody get out of that million dollars."

It is a tragic situation with the appearance of an innocent man caught in the crossfire of an armed assailant trying to rob his work place.

And, all indications are that the assailants fled the scene and threw the gun on the verandah of this house, forcing the police officers to have to break the locks on the gate to retrieve it.

As noted by police, 2 men were detained; one of them was already on the ground in handcuffs by the time we got there.

The other man was escorted from the bush were police say he was hiding. According to police, the first man was detained by police as he allegedly tried to escape from the scene, but his angry mother told us a very different story.

Voice of: Mother of Suspect #1 - Claims Her Son Is Innocent
"During the occasions where we heard some gun fires a little bit after we send our son to buy food and apparently when he was walking they grab him thinking that he was one of the suspect in the shooting for some business man around Vernon Street. People are saying that he was beaten severely and they had his face in the ground. From my point of view he had just left home after the shooting."

Daniel Ortiz
"The police are now labeling him, he is suspect number one because he was caught on the scene which is not looking for you son."

Voice of: Mother of Suspect #1 - Claims Her Son Is Innocent
"The only next step I can do is to get a lawyer to prove his innocence because what is happening these days is so wrong. Information that we receives is that two of the suspect that actually did it got away and there are people getting pick up for the shooting because they are like passersby."

Daniel Ortiz
"And you are you willing to vouch for your son 100% that he was just in this area conducting business for you?"

Voice of: Mother of Suspect #1 - Claims Her Son Is Innocent
"Definitely and the family."

But Police say that even though he is currently detained as a person of interest, there is a possibility that he can be cleared.

Raphael Martinez - Police Press officer
"He is picked up as a suspect does not mean that he will be charged or arrested for this crime. Quite a few people in the immediate area I am sure will be picked up for questioning."

Williams was an long-standing and dedicated employee of the establishment. The family is particularly aggrieved by his death because he celebrated his fifty-fourth birthday on last Wednesday.

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