Another businessman shot
It’s becoming an all too familiar tragedy: a businessman gunned down during a robbery. But the latest shooting wasn’t at the store; it was at the man’s home. News 5 was in Belmopan today.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Around ten-twenty on Wednesday night the quiet neighbourhood of Sapodilla Street in Belmopan was suddenly awakened by the sounds of gunfire. By the time the shooting was all over, well known businessman, twenty-eight year old Kenny Luk Sui Kei lay critically wounded on his driveway. He had been shot in the neck with what police believe to be a sawed off shotgun.
Because Sui Kie was shot just outside of his residence, police strongly suspect his shooters first spent time familiarising themselves with the businessman’s daily activities before they finally decided to make their move.
A.S.P. Simeon Alvarez, O.C. Belmopan Police Station
“They did their homework to really find out exactly where he lives. As a result of that they may have monitored the time he closes his business and then proceed home. And as a result of that, they waited for him just as he was about to come out of come out of his vehicle.
Sui Kei, who owns the Fast Food Centre situated by the Market Square, had closed his establishment and went home. But as he pulled into his driveway, parked his Mazda pickup and got out of the vehicle, that’s when a lone unmasked armed man walked up to him. It’s not clear if the gunman demanded anything, but shortly after, he shot Sui Kei. Sui Kei responded by firing off his licensed thirty-eight revolver until he ran out of bullets. But the shotgun blast had done its damage. Sui Kei’s vocal chords were not only severely injured, but he received gunshot wounds to his chin and upper face.
Although Sui Kei is unable to talk, this morning he managed to communicate in writing to the police just before he was flown to Guatemala City for further medical attention. Information received suggests that although it was only one gunman, when he ran away he was joined by at least three other young men. Assistant Inspector of Police and the Officer in Charge of the Belmopan police station, Simeon Alvarez, says the motive for the shooting was robbery.
A.S.P. Simeon Alvarez
“When the police went on the scene they recovered his firearm and a black bag containing some coins and some B.T.L. cards. However, from the family, they are saying that the wallet, which he may have had on his person, is missing. So definitely, the culprit they may have gone with his wallet. The amount is unknown at this time.”
However, sources tell News 5 that Sui Kei may have had as much as seven hundred dollars in his wallet. Today when police visited the crime scene they found a couple of Guinness stout bottles along with a small packet of weed in some nearby bushes along the sidewalk the assailants used as they ran away. It is not certain if the articles are connected to the crime, but authorities have taken the evidence for fingerprints.
A.S.P. Simeon Alvarez
“There is a possibility. And from the witnesses we will know definitely. If that is the case, then definitely they were waiting for him, because they knew his hours to go home. If that is it, then definitely we will get that in evidence that they were indeed having a few Guinness before they actually saw this Chinese businessman approaching his residence.”
“At this time, the investigation is pretty young and we are trying to get all the evidence together. I believe we will make an arrest very soon. All I am asking is for the cooperation of the general public and if they have any information they can pass it on to us.”
The crime is the first time in Belmopan this year that someone has been injured as a result of a hold-up and robbery. Residents who live near the crime scene say lately they have noticed a number of suspicious persons hanging around the neighbourhood. Alvarez says they have received similar complaints from the area and conduct patrols to curb crime, but sometimes their efforts have been hampered by undue criticisms from some members of the public.
A.S.P. Simeon Alvarez
“The police on patrol, they do go in the area and ask the youths them to move away or to go home. But in some cases–I can recall just a couple weeks ago one of my Corporal went there and got rid of the crowd and one of the family members came and report the incident to internal affairs. And that really slows down the police from really taking drastic measures on these youths that are hanging out, especially around that Libertad Avenue, Mayflower, Santa Maria and those different corners at night. And we try to discourage them, but when we do that some of the family members they feel that the police is attacking their children innocently, and that is not the case. We don’t know who they are. Sometimes some of them are law-abiding citizens and some of them just hang out with the bad guys, so the police have to do their job.”
Today, The Belize Chinese Association has expressed their concern over the shooting of one of their own.
Lee Mark Chang, President, Bz. Chinese Association
“Well I have known Kenny for over ten years now and we’ve become great friends. It’s an unfortunate incident that happened last night, but we wish him all the best.”
“We are very concerned about the incident and we are working very closely with the Police Department in order to try to catch the criminals responsible.”
B.C.A. is offering a two thousand dollar reward for any information that may lead to the arrest of those responsible. Jacqueline Woods for News 5.
Police suspect the persons involved in the shooting are from the areas surrounding Belmopan.
