A man was killed this morning on his way to work. It happened on Dolphin Street in Belize City.
The victim is 30 year-old Jason Young, a resident of Sarstoon Street, who's originally from Kraal Road. Young was a well-known first division and Semi-pro footballer. Those closest to him say that he was an athlete, not a gunman or a gangster, and that's why this morning they were stunned to hear that he had been shot and killed.
Just after 6:30, he was on his way to his family's Kraal Road home to get a ride, but he never made it. 7News was on the scene when police picked up the murder weapon:
Daniel Ortiz reporting
These blood stains on Dolphin Street, in front of Belize Dry Cleaners, marks the spot were 30 year-old John Young, known as "Strength" or "Paxson" fell. Someone ambushed him this morning while he was on the way to work and gunned him down. Those injuries killed him on the spot.
Sgt. Isai Sanchez - OC, CIB Precinct 1
"This morning about 6:40am, Jason Steven Young, a 30 year old national Belizean was walking on Dolphin Street from the direction of Cemetery Road heading towards Fairweather Street. Before reaching the corner of Gibnut Street he was approached by a male person who pointed a fire arm at him and fired 3 shots which fatally wounded him, 2 to the chest and 2 to the left wrist."
His common-law wife, and mother of his 4 children said that he was on the way to his family's yard on Kraal Road for work. She had spoken to him earlier that morning about breakfast, and less than an hour later, she received the news that he had been murdered.
Voice of: Raquel Franklin - Common-law Wife of Deceased
"When he was leaving out for work this morning, I told him 'well I haven't made breakfast yet', because it was after 6 that he has to reach. So I told him 'take this money and stop on your way at Pound Yard and front of Atlantic Bank to buy Journey Cakes from there'. It looks like that was what he was going to do, but it looks like he was where the Journey Cakes were so I guess he stopped off to buy the Journey Cakes. No one expected it, it's a shocking news."
An on-duty police officer witnessed the entire incident unfolding, and he set chase after the gunman. The assailant escaped, but the police's intervention led to the recovery of the murder weapon, and the detention of a suspect who police have strong reasons to believe is indeed Young's killer.
Sgt. Isai Sanchez
"The gunman managed to run unto Gibnut Street where he was followed by the on-duty police officer who was in his own vehicle and managed to fire shots at his direction but missed. The assailant escaped and the weapon was dropped by the assailant when the officer fired shots at him. It was recovered as exhibit in this case."
Reporter
"Was it a 9mm pistol?"
Sgt. Isai Sanchez
"That's very correct. Presently we have a person of interest in custody. Investigation is still young at this time and we're working very diligently on it. Hopefully we might have a successful investigation which might lead to an arrest. The officer in question who was at the scene and an eyewitness into the matter, hence the reason we have a good case at this time."
ACP Chester Williams - OC, Eastern Division South
"We believe that the person who have in custody is the right person. Despite the fact that he had on a mask, we have other things of significant evidential value that ties him to the scene and the shooting."
But, what police don't know at this time is the reason Young was killed. All they know for certain is that he was a hardworking man, and a law-abiding citizen.
Sgt. Isai Sanchez
"We understand that Mr. Young associate with Big Tom associates, we haven't confirmed if that is the motive of the incident."
ACP Chester Williams - OC, Eastern Division South
"Let me state categorically that he is not a person who is known to be involved in any gang activity. He's a working person, as Mr. Sanchez said, he was on his way to work."
Whatever the reason he was targeted, it makes no difference to his family. A beloved personality was taken from them, leaving behind a lot of pain and grief.
Voice of: Raquel Franklin
"He's into football, his family, work and when he isn't home, he's back here with his family. You could've always find him with his family or the ball field. He's not a problematic person and I don't even know if he has any enemy because people might say 'they might like you don't hail them', when he would say 'no, them and I are okay'. He would hail them like 'yeah', and I would ask 'how'd hail them?' and he would still hail them because he doesn't have enemies."
Carolyn Young - Sister of the Deceased
"I can't explain it, he's just a friendly and nice person. I got the news this morning that my brother died and nothing can explain --"
Albert Smith - Father of Deceased
"It really hurt, I don't know my son as any trouble man, and I know him as a competitive athlete and a hard working feller. Six kids and their father died at an early age that is the reason why this thing should stop. Killing each other for no reason at all, it's all sadness. A lot of people felt this same pain and now imp felling the pain, I know what it's all about. I'm trying to put good into some people saying 'boy don't start that, don't do that, fighting is not good, gun isn't good, this isn't good, play sports, get into sports'. All of us are in sports, when my son goes to play football, I'm right there watching my son. Coming out going to work, for what reason? Sometimes the good pay for the bad, I mean he grew up in an area that people claimed to say is so bad but not everyone in the same area is the bad people, there are good people too. He was a hard working guy, he loved his sports, his kids and his family. There are so many people hurting."
Young, who is a father of 4 was a midfielder for Eiley FC, and he was getting ready to play in the First Division Finals against Lake I Bombers. He was practicing for that football match which would have happened on Sunday. He last played for FC Belize in the Semi Pro League.
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