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Man Killed While Walking With Aunt
posted (January 13, 2014)
That shooting happened at 5:00 pm on Sunday, and by 9:30 there would be another gun murder. The victim in this case was 25 year old Derrick Parham. On Sunday night at 9:30, he was walking with his aunt at the corner of Iguana and Curassow Street in an area known as 123rd block. They weren't far from home when a Red car pulled up and a "dark skinned" man with dread locks jumped out of the car and fired a single shot at Derrick Parham, hitting him in the back. He was rushed to the KHMH but died shortly after at 10:00 pm. Today, 7News spoke with his mother who told us that the gunmen ambushed him when he was returning home from a party, just a stone's throw away from his house.

Andrea Rosales, mother of deceased
"We were home in the yard and we heard 2 gunshots. My husband and one of my older sons they ran out, my daughters they ran out also. We were thinking anything of it, and then someone came and say that it was Derrick who got shot. He was coming from his aunt house. They had a birthday for her grandson, so there was eating and drinking at her house, so he was there and in the night they were coming home."

"What we understand that a red car drove up from behind and pointed the gun at him and fired 2 shots."

Daniel Ortiz
"That was as quickly as it ended. Ma'am, give us an idea of your son as an individual, the way how the attack was conducted, it seems very precise. Is his personality or is his affiliations with any of his friends would suggest that this kind of thing would visit your home in this fashion?"

Andrea Rosales, mother of deceased
"We think it was a setup, he has enemies. He is somebody - that if anybody is stepping on his family, he is there for them and I think that's the reason because he is not afraid and he let people know that. Nobody fools around with his family."

Daniel Ortiz
"I can see that this is difficult for you at this time, but if you can and please indulge us, try to express what it's like losing your son in this kind of fashion?"

Andrea Rosales, mother of deceased
"All the time I hear about it and I used to pray, not for me. I pray to God that I don't have to go through this kind of thing. I never knew it hurt so much."

(1) S&B 9mm expended shell was retrieved from the scene - same brand that was retrieved from the earlier shooting on Central American Boulevard.

And shortly before that there was another shooting not far away on Arlington Drive. At around 8:20 37 year old Leevan Lewis, was standing in front of his gate, when three men on bikes rode past and let off with a spray of gunfire. Lewis escaped injury, but police found a total of 14 expended shells on the scene, (10) 9mm Luger brand (1) 9mm S&B brand and (3) .22 shells.

All the violence on Sunday, all within in a very small area in the Collet and Port Loyola Divisions suggest that some kind of war is on, and that's probably what sent the BDF's Belize Special Assignment Group to Jane Usher Blvd at 9:40 last night.

Police say that members of BSAG were conducting a house search when they saw a suspect in one of the shootings, Patrick Bevans jump the zinc fence and start to run. When they caught him, the BDF says Bevans grabbed the soldier's machine gun, and another soldier shot the 22 year old in the leg with his army-issued M-4 Carbine. Bevans is at the KHMH under police guard pending charges. We are told he is the suspect in other ongoing investigations.

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