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Important Note: This Internet version of 7 News is a verbatum
transcript of our evening television news script. Many interviews on our newscast
are conducted in Creole. In the interest of clarity for our foreign readers,
we attempt to paraphrase the Creole quotes in English |
Gunman and Target Dead After Daylight Shooting On Collet Canal
Two men are dead - after a violent and frightening armed assault in a busy part of Belize City this morning.
The shooter killed his target in a gang rivalry - while the police pursued and killed the gunman.
Here's what we gathered at the scene today. Jomarie lanza reports.
A barrage of bullets was aimed at this small food truck on East Collet Canal just after 11 this morning. The target was Clinton Pou who was at his mother's food establishment. Pou sustained injuries along with his sister Kiandra.
More than 2 dozen shots were fired by a man on the back on a motorcycle from what is believed to be from an automatic rifle. But police were in the area and they responded immediately, pursuing and shooting the suspected gunman in the Conch Shell Bay area. That man has since been identified as Ryan Barnett who died from his injuries a few hours later. And so did his target Clinton Pou.
ASP Stacy Smith, Police Staff Officer
"Police are investigating an incident which resulted in the death of 2 persons and the injury of another. Initial investigation suggests that siblings, Kiandra Pou 27 years of age and Clinton Pou 29 years of age were at a stall on East Collet Canal at approximately 11:15AM when they were fired upon. Officers on patrol in the immediate area responded to this incident and the indication is that a 3rd person namely 40 year old Ryan Barnett who the indication is that he is a suspect in that shooting incident, may have been shot in the course of police's response. Both Clinton Pou and Ryan Barnett have since succumbed to the gunshot injuries they sustained and Kiandra Pou is reported to be in a stable condition."
Reports are that this shooting may have been motivated by a gang rivalry, but police have yet to confirm this.
Reporter
"Would you be able to say if this incident had any relation to the murder of Edward Saldano that occurred last week?"
ASP Stacy Smith, Police Staff Officer
"We are not able to conclusively say so however that is an area that is being explored."
And while that angle is being explored, police have yet to locate the weapon that was used in this shooting, and this afternoon The Coast Guard personnel could be seen in the Haulover creek diving for it.
We'll have more on this developing story in coming days.
Effect Of The Iran War In Belize: Gas Prices Soar At Midnight
The war in Iran is driving up world gas and oil prices and, as of midnight, the effect is going to be felt sharply in Belize.
Pump prices for regular and premium fuel are going up by over a dollar per gallon while the price of diesel will remain unchanged.
In the city, Premium- which is at 12.53 per gallon right now - is going up to $13.76 - which is an increase of one dollar and twenty three cents ($1.23) per gallon.
Regular is going up from $11.77 to $13.02 which is an increase of one dollar twenty-five cents per gallon.
Diesel will remain stable at 12.05 per gallon but that may also increase soon when the next shipment comes in.
Panamanian Vessel With Diesel Held By Coast Guard At Big Creek, May Lose Its Cargo
And a boat with diesel on board, the "Hermilde Viajero" is still not being allowed to offload its cargo at the Big Creek Port tonight and it remains under the watch of the Coast Guard.
The Chief Environmental Officer Anthony Mai told us the importer did not follow import conditions and ran afoul of coast guard and Belize Port Authority procedures. As a consequence, he says they, quote, "will be held accountable for the violation and we are discussing the proper disposal of the fuel."
He says they did not apply for and obtain an import permit for fuel from The Department of the Environment.
The commissioner of Ports Kaylon Young told us, quote, "as it relates to the cargo onboard the vessel, that remains under the jurisdiction of the Customs Department and the Department of Environment. They will determine the action taken regarding that."
The vessel has a Columbian crew and carries a Panamanian Flag
Conch Bust Comes After High Speed Chase
Tonight the Fisheries Department is sitting on a major bust of undersized conch which they captured today after a high speed chase in the Belize District.
It started with fisheries officers who were turning from Belmopan when they saw a pickup loaded with iceboxes in the pan blow past them. They coordinated with police and other law enforcement personnel who followed the vehicle to a gas station near Marage Road in Ladyville where it made a stop. 9 men were onboard.
When they searched the iceboxes they found 439 undersized conch hidden under filet fish. The conch was impounded and four of the of the eight fishermen accepted ownership of the illegal products.
All were given a summons to appear next Tuesday in court. Their total fines could exceed 60 thousand dollars.
Owner Of Dark Night Tours Shot While His Children Held At Gunpoint
Cayo Police are investigating a brazen home invasion that ended in gunfire and left a 68 year old businessman and owner of a major tourism attraction fighting for his life. The incident unfolded yesterday evening in the Dark Night area of Frank's Eddy Village, where armed men reportedly stormed a family home, tied up the homeowner's wife and terrorized his children. Jaleeza Roberts has more on this story:
Yesterday evening, when coming from school, the 9 year old son of Bradley Paumen was held at gun point and taken into his home. His mother told us via phone about the terror of seeing her son walk in with a stranger pointing a gun to his head:
Seline Paumen, Wife
"The gunman came and hold my son at gunpoint, brought them in the house, grabbed my gold chain from my neck, put we down, make we stay at ground, and noh move. They didn't duct tape me in the beginning. The kids were crying and screaming like kids normally would in that situation. He dropped my kids off, they came through our house and assaulted me and my kids first, grabbed my jewelry, stole everything, ransacked the house and then waited for him to come back. I do not know what transpired between him and the gentleman because they waited and they locked the door so Brad couldn't come inside. He was knocking on the door, and I guess these individuals didn't notice they locked the door cause they were waiting for him to come inside and after that I do not know what transpired between them and my husband, that's between whatever my husband said and them, I just know what me and my kids went through."
During the confrontation, the men demanded that Paumen give them the password to a safe inside the home. Paumen did so, but the suspects were unable to open it. One of the intruders then shot Paumen in the back. Despite being shot, Paumen attempted to defend himself, leading to a struggle with the suspects. Paumen told police that the gunman pointed the weapon at his head and attempted to fire again, but the firearm jammed. Since the incident, Site manager Benjamin Mas says security has doubled:
Benjamin Mas, Site Manager - Dark Night
"We have doubled up on security both at the front and the back, we have security 24/7 and we are in contact with the police and they're doing several patrols here more often. This is an isolated situation, it could happen anywhere on the road, anywhere so it doesn't affect the tours, it didn't happen on the tour side didn't happen anywhere close to the tours."
And Paumen's wife Seline rejected all rumors that the robbery was rooted from a land deal gone wrong:
Seline Paumen, Wife
"This was a robbery, these people targeted us and robbed us, they came and put a gun at my son's head, my daughter's head, my kids are only 9 and 5. You know what it is to have a 9 year old have a gun aimed at his head? And he's a sweet soul, he was making sure he was protecting his sister, he did everything they asked. He even blamed himself that it's his fault because he brought them upstairs, but they came after my kids, my kids are traumatized."
For now, no suspects have been detained and Paumen remains in stable condition at the Western Regional Hospital.
Suspects Detained For Paumen Robbery
In a press brief this evening, police confirmed that the robbery has nothing to do with Paumen's past. Here's more:
ASP Stacy Smith, Police Staff Officer
"What we have learned so far in the course of the ongoing investigation is that Paumen was at his residence in Frank's Eddy village, along with other members of his family, when three masked male persons are reported to have entered that residence. One of the male person was armed with a firearm, and they made demands of the family that they handed over items that were in their possession. A struggle ensued between Mr. Paumen and the armed male person, and during the course of that, Mr. Paumen is reported to have received those gunshot wounds. The male persons escaped with items of property belonging to the occupants of the house, and police have since detained one person in the course of the ongoing investigation and are seeking two others."
Reporter
"Have you guys been able to ascertain if the perpetrator was someone that worked for him? Because we went there today and it's pretty far. So it's someone that would have to know where the place is."
ASP Stacy Smith, Police Staff Officer
"The details of the investigation that has been disclosed is the extent to which department wishes to disclose. As stated, it's an ongoing investigation, and there are two other persons that police are seeking."
Paumen's wife and two children were not injured during the ordeal.
Only Surviving Passenger On Catamaran Identified
Last night we reported on a Catamaran that was found adrift in Belizean waters with a dead man on board. He was later identified as 72 year old Thomas David Harman of Vancouver, Canada.
His wife was on board with him and she said that they were on their way to the Cayman Islands and the elderly man fell whilst fixing the sail. He then reportedly suffered a heart attack. The boat was headed from Honduras. But the body was discovered in Belizean waters. So it is now a crime for Belize police to solve. The police today shared what they have learned so far:
ASP Stacy Smith, Police Staff Officer
"What we know so far is that the vessel is believed to have departed Honduras around the 9th of March, and sometime during that day a distress signal was sent. So the Honduran authorities, this information was communicated, and efforts were made by both the Honduran authorities, as well as Canadian authorities to locate the vessel with a view to bringing it to shore, communication was made by the Honduran authorities to the Belize rescue team, and they were advised as to this specific location, and they were able to go out and make that rescue and bring the ship to the catamaran to dock."
"We have received indication as to the female that was on board. What I can say is that she is reported to have been rescued by a cruise ship that was in the area, and her identity has been known, and she would have communicated with a relative of the deceased, Mr. Harmon, about the incident. The police believe that foul play was involved based on the evidence that was found on the scene. It is an ongoing investigation. We are awaiting the results of the postmortem to make a determination in that regard."
Currently, It is being treated as a death investigation.
Victim Testifies From The US, Judge Finds Gladden Guilty
26 year old Michael Gladden is back behind bars awaiting his sentence after he was found guilty for the attempted murder of 33 year old Karen Pinto.
Pinto was targeted back in December 2020 and was forced to seek asylum in the US. She appeared via video link and testified against Gladden. She explained that she was chased by two men around 6:30 at night when she went to a store with her ex common law husband. It was while they were leaving the store that they were then followed by the gunmen. They fired several shots at her and her ex common law husband, causing both of them to run. She fell into a swamp and as the gunmen stood over her, she was hit and decided to "play dead" to trick her attackers.
Sentencing for Gladden is set for May 8th. The court is expected to hear a mitigation plea on his behalf.
Construction Worker Found With Firearm
Today, Glen Murillo Jr of Sarstoon street appeared before a Senior Magistrate in Court #2 on where he was read two charges, kept firearm and kept ammunition without a license issued by the Firearms and Ammunition Control Board.
ASP Stacy Smith explained the incident that led to his detention.
Murillo Jr. pleaded not guilty to both charges. However, due to the nature of the offenses, bail was denied and he was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until May 11, 2026.
Group Of Five Remanded After Gun Found
Five persons, including two minors, have been remanded after police reportedly discovered a prohibited firearm and ammunition during a house search in Belize City earlier this week. The group appeared late yesterday evening before a Magistrate in Court #3 where they were jointly charged with kept prohibited firearm following the discovery of the weapon and ammunition.
All five pleaded not guilty to the charge. Due to the nature of the offense, bail was denied. The three adults, Gevin Armstrong, Donie White, and Antwan King, were remanded to the Belize Central Prison, while the two minors were remanded to the Wagner's Youth Facility. The group is scheduled to return to court on May 11, 2026. ASP Stacy Smith tells us more about the discovery.
Of note is that one of the minors is the brother of a recent murder victim.
After The Pause, BTL Requested Regulatory Review Of Planned Acquisition
In a press release issued today, the PUC confirmed it has received a submission from BTL dated February 10, 2026 requesting a formal review of its plan to acquire Speednet, better known as Smart. However, the regulator signaled that the deal is far from a formality.
The Commission has issued a series of "critical considerations" to both BTL and Speednet, and required them to answer by April 13, 2026. They have to answer questions about Financial Soundness, Market Fairness and Consumer Protection.
The scrutiny is intensified by the PUC's Final Determination issued two days ago which formally established that BTL holds market dominance across all relevant telecommunications sectors.
The good news at this juncture is that regular citizens, organizations, trade unions, NGO's and others can now give their input. The public has until 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 13, 2026, to submit its comments by email to info@puc.bz.
GOB Responds To Feinstein Pressure In The USA
The Feinstein Group has an international pressure campaign on the Briceno Administration - as they try to expose the government for acquiring their Stake Bank Caye Cruise Port Project.
Earlier this week, that translated into a letter from US Congressman Brian J. Mast to the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying, quote, "concerns have been raised with the Committee regarding the state of rule of law in Belize and the potential implications for U.S. strategic interests, American investments, and the bilateral relationship."
Well, the government of Belize has come up with a response and it says, quote, "the Government of Belize will cooperate fully with the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs and the U.S. State Department to provide any information or clarification that would assist in their assessment of Belize's investment climate."
It adds, quote, "Regarding the compulsory acquisition of the Stake Bank extension, this matter was adjudicated by the High Court of Belize, which held that the acquisition was constitutional. The Claimants have proceeded to appeal that decision in the Court of Appeal of Belize."
KHMH's Names New CEO After Months Without One
After months without one, today the KHMH announced that its new CEO will be the current Financial Director Sharine Reyes. This comes after the former CEO, Chandra Cansino, chose not to renew her contract back in October 2025.
A press release from the hospital says, quote, "Reyes was selected following a competitive recruitment process involving five applicants. After careful consideration, the Sub-Committee of the Board determined that she demonstrated the leadership and vision required to manage and improve the institution." End quote.
Reyes will be taking office as CEO on April 1st.
Jaguar Killed Beloved Bruno In Lemonal
Lemonal villagers are currently in fear of their lives and that of their pets after a relocated jaguar has been lurking in their community. They tell us the jaguar has already killed several dogs and the residents are now asking for help.
According to the community health worker, Nicole Anthony, she is unable to properly do her work because she's afraid to leave her home. That comes after two of her dogs were killed. The first dog, named Betty, was killed on January 23rd at 9:00 at night. After that, her family tried to keep the other dog, Bruno, safe, but to no avail. We spoke to her over the phone and she explained what happened and how they tried to capture the jaguar themselves.
Nicole Anthony, Resident
"Then the following Thursday, our dog Bruno, that's a hound dog, we had him tied under our step with a light over him. And Bruno… around 4am my uncle got up and he was walking in his house and the jaguar which is very sensitive to noise heard him and something told him to look outside and when he looked outside, he saw Bruno dead. When we buried Bruno, couple days after, when we checked, the jaguar was trying to dig him up but the ground was clammy so he couldn't do it."
"So we came up with a solution on how to kill it because it's endangering us. So we borrowed a cage and a dog, we borrowed the dog. So we got that the Saturday after the Thursday and when we put the dog in the cage, my uncle was waiting again. He didn't sleep the entire night and around 5:30 when he said he was going back to sleep, when he looked out the window, he saw the jaguar, but the same time the dog saw it so it stood up to it and it ran. The dog was in the trap for one week and a half but the dog was punishing so I took it out last week Friday and when I took it out, it went to someone else's house and killed his dog."
"I loved my dog, I didn't care for pets, but I loved Bruno, he was one of the best dogs ever. he was so pretty, handsome, mannerly, he never would hurt anything. That jaguar just came at Bruno, Bruno didn't have any warning to bark because it's not a vicious dog and Bruno wasn't even 2, Bruno was around 1 year old. Bruno was my son's dog, that was his only friend because I only have one child and Bruno was the dog my son would play with in the evening, check on it in the morning, so we need a solution."
The villagers have been engaged with the Forestry Department, who had set up cameras that captured the jaguar lurking around the cage. Additionally, they will be holding a meeting with the residents on Sunday afternoon at 2:00.
Jerry Enriquez's Challenge To Voter's List Status Quo Goes To CCJ
Today saw the hearing of applications in the Jeremy Enriquez, Anand Ramlogan versus the Attorney General and others of Belize at the CCJ. As has been widely reported, Enriquez had taken the government to court to try and force a redistricting before the 2025 general elections. The case was rejected at the High Court - but a number of matters are being appealed by his attorney Anand Ramlogan, who is bolstered now by British King's Counsel Peter Knox and Belize's Sheena Pitts.
Today, Ramlogan made his submission virtually.
Anand Ramlogan, Attorney
"This is an entirely exceptional case and the axis of this case is located in the constitutional right to a fair hearing. Bias is inextricably and obviously intertwined with the concept of the right of a fair hearing. And in this case, being this is the apex court, and our complaint is that our right to a fair hearing has been been compromised and will continue to be compromised unless there is intervention by superior court and we are before the Caribbean Court of Justice and we must chart modern jurisprudence, we need to meet our unique socio legal and political considerations would apply in the Caribbean. I say no more than that. Those are my submissions."
Iliana Swift appeared for the Attorney General and Hector Guerra for the Elections and Boundaries office. The hearing lasted about 5 hours. Judgement is expected in a few weeks.
UB Asks, Cuba: Model Society Or Terrorist State?
On Monday, the University of Belize's Policy Research Institute held its Foreign Policy Series discussion under the theme, "Focus on Cuba: Model Society or Terrorist State?".
Taking center stage was former communist party worker Otto Bernardino Marrero Nunez who gave e his spin on Cuba's role in the world and its current battles:
Otto Bernadino Marrero Nunez, Former Cuban Party Worker
"We send doctors all over, the Americans they send troops, marines. It is different, it's a big difference. So we are terrorists because we send doctors. Sending them because the terrorist is the United States. They've been trying to eliminate Cuba. They are the one that violate everything. They are the terrorists not us, we are the victims. They are the victimizers. So they're wanna have to change and I hope sometime because we have friends that are close allies with the United States and they both went against the blockade."
Dylan Vernon, Executive Director - BELPRI-UB
"On the side of democracy which is this word that some critics of Cuba would say that only if Cuba would become more democratic and have elections they would be less of a position to Cuba internationally, how do you respond to that?"
Otto Bernadino Marrero Nunez, Former Cuban Party Worker
"Well the democracy is people participation. It comes from people participating in government and social aspects. That's it. In Cuba, everybody, why you think it's 67 years defending ourselves and surviving the United States. The United States is close to Cuba and they invade many countries all over and they have not been able to defeat Cuba."
This is the fourth discussion in the series.
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