Belize City Man Gunned Down

The city has been relatively peaceful for some time as police beef up their presence on the streets. But in less than twenty-four hours, two persons have been murdered in south side of Belize City. In the latest murder, police have two persons detained following a broad daylight execution. One of them, a fifteen year old minor, is believed to be the person who gunned down Herbert Bodden, twenty-nine, a resident of Tibruce Street. The fatal shooting happened on Cedar Street, just off Banak Street. Mike Rudon was on the scene just after it happened and has the story.

Mike Rudon, Reporting

At about one forty-five today, Scenes of Crime personnel processed the scene of the second murder in just two days. It happened on Cedar Street, near La Popular Bakery and just off the section of Banak Street which is considered a hot zone.

The murder happened at one thirty. Twenty-nine year old Herbert Bodden was in this corner of a scrap-yard on Cedar Street when death found him. He was here because he chops up old vehicles for iron and miscellaneous parts which he then sells. These two old car seats which he had salvaged are still across the street, and so is the cart he would have used to transport them.

This old car still bears the mark of one bullet which hit the hood and then impacted the windshield. We understand that at least seven bullets found their mark in his body. Bodden was put in a vehicle and taken to the K.H.M.H., but died before he could there.

Residents of the area tell us that the shooter came right up to the victim as he stood at this spot. They say the gun snapped at the first shot and the clip fell out, but the gunman managed to get it back in before he unleashed a deadly hail of lead at the cowering Bodden, before escaping the area.

Word on the streets is that Bodden was not the intended target. Just minutes before he was killed a notorious street figure that frequents the area stood at the very spot where Bodden was killed. That street figure, we are told, has also been detained by Police for questioning, along with the minor who is believed to be the gunman.

Today the residents of the area are fearful of the gun violence which seems to have resurfaced, but they are also angry because they say that today, at least, that violence took the life of an innocent man. Mike Rudon for News Five.