Belize City man shot in the face in a case of mistaken identity

Thirty-four year old Kingsley Ferguson is tonight recovering from gunshot wounds following a near brush with death in what Belize City police believe to have been a case of mistaken identity.  Ferguson, a resident of Neal’s Pen Road, was visiting his girlfriend at a residence on Jones Street on Tuesday night when he was accosted by a pair of armed men.  He was shot once to the right side of the face at close range, the nine millimeter slug exiting the left side of his jaw.  The shooting is reportedly retribution for the attempted murders of seventeen-year-old Clinton Pou and twenty-two-year-old Efrain Assi which occurred during separate incidents in the Lake Independence area over the weekend.  Police investigations indicate that the recent surge in gun violence in that jurisdiction may be the result of ongoing gang rivalry.  This morning, Sergeant Ismael Westby briefed the media on the latest shooting.

Sgt. Ismael Westby, NCO-CIB, Precinct 3

Ismael Westby

“Sometime around 9:20 p.m. police responded to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where they met a male person suffering from gunshot injuries to the right side of the face and an apparent suspected wound to the left side of the jaw.  Initial investigation in respect to this incident reveals that whilst this guy who was identified as Kingsley Ferguson, thirty-four-years-[old], citizen of Belize City was on Jones Street meeting with his girlfriend at that location and whilst there two male persons riding a bicycle, double-riding came from the direction of Administration Drive and upon passing Ferguson they discharged a firearm on him causing the said injuries.”

Isani Cayetano

“Is there any truth to the fact that he was holding a child when he was accosted?”

Sgt. Ismael Westby

“No, he was not holding the child.  Who was holding the child was his girlfriend.”

Reporter

“Any motive?”

Sgt. Ismael Westby

“What our initial investigation is looking at at this moment is that there could be a possibility of a mistaken identity and the reason why I am saying that is relations due to the previous incident that we had during the weekend… which was a shooting that occurred at the corner of Tibruce Street and Poinsetta Street and then an incident that occurred at the basketball court on Alicia Street behind Martin’s area.”

Reporter

“Do you guys feel that this is another uprising of gang rivalry in this particular location?”

Sgt. Ismael Westby

“We are looking in that direction, we are taking it seriously upon that situation likewise.”

Reporter

“Do you have any suspects…”

Sgt. Ismael Westby

“At this moment we are working with whatever possible [information] we have due to the fact that the two persons that we are looking for are dark skinned male persons and their identities are not known by anyone of the witnesses so we are conducting canvassing.  I also want to appeal to the community whatever information they have that they can liaise with the police department.”

Kingsley Ferguson is listed in stable condition at the K.H.M.H.