A Chinese Belizean businessman was murdered in an armed robbery attempt last night. He's 58 year-old Bainan Wu, and our archives say that he is the first Chinese business owner to be killed in Belize City in 4 years and 3 months.
Police say that he was shot sometime around 7:30 inside his grocery store, Xi He Li, which is located at the corner of Vernon and Santa Barbara Streets where he is well known and liked.
Wu took all precautions he could to protect himself and his business, but last night, a robber killed him because he reportedly refused to hand over his hard earned money.
7News was on the scene last night, and Daniel Ortiz has this story:
Daniel Ortiz reporting
58 year-old Bainan Wu was shot and killed inside his grocery store, Xi He Li, here at the corner of Vernon and Santa Barbara Streets.
The Belizean Chinese businessman had basically lived much of his life here in Belize, 20 years in fact.
Edmund Quan - Chairman, Belize Chinese Association
"He has been in Belize for quite some time, close to 20 years. He kept very much to himself. We don't really know much about him. He stays in his little shop and he does his everyday business and it so happens tragedy came to his doorstep. The shop was run by him and his wife. His wife had just went on a vacation to China, but she already made arrangements to come back. I think probably she is on the way already to deal with this situation."
But his life was cut short last night, sometime around 8 o'clock, when a gunman tried to rob his store. He was shot in the head by the armed thief, reportedly because he did not cooperate and hand over his hard-earned cash from the day's sales. Around 2 hours after he was gunned down, doctors couldn't save him he died at the KHMH.
Edmund Quan
"To my knowledge it was around 7:45pm last night, that's Monday night, an attempt apparently happened at Vernon Street at Xi He Li Store, where the owner of the shop was shot in the head and he succumbed to his injuries."
We found a number of his peers and friends at his shop today, providing whatever assistance they could to the police as they continue investigate this crime. Wu was the first Chinese grocer to be killed in a robbery/murder in more than 2 years, which is of concern to the local Chinese community:
Edmund Quan
"I don't have an archive memory, but I would believe it's around that time, 2 years ago similar happened. I think it's around Kraal Road area."
Daniel Ortiz, reporter
"An attack against a hardworking Chinese Belizean businessman, it must be a concern for you and those within the local Chinese community."
Edmund Quan
"Definitely, we are very concern about the situation. We are asking the police to please conduct a thorough investigation into this matter and we hope that the person that did this horrible act get charged and let the law take its action."
But, last night's attempt robbery is the second in less than a week in that same neighborhood, and so the leaders of the Chinese community will urge business persons to be extra careful.
Reporter
"Arwing was similarly robbed over the weekend. Can you speak to us of either measures that will be taken by members of the community to beef up their own personal security in their businesses?"
Edmund Quan
"Definitely, we will be advising all Chinese businesses to be on the alert, because 2 robbery in a close time especially in that location, in that area. We will tell them to be vigilant, look for new faces or suspicious people and stuff like that. But we will ask them to do their necessary jobs."
The Amandala Newspaper reports that the gunman rode off empty-handed after he shot the businessman in his head. Police responded within minutes, but he had already escaped.
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