Suspect held in Bz. City murder
While police in Orange Walk had their hands full this weekend, their colleagues countrywide also experienced their share of stress. In Belize City a Saturday afternoon murder has resulted in the detention of a suspect, but the motive is still not clear. News 5’s Jacqueline Woods has more.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Police are still trying to find out what caused twenty-three year old Jamie “J.J.” Dawson to ride into Bismark Club and shoot twenty year old Nichole Lewis and thirty year old Maurice Neal. Lloyd Arnold, the club’s owner, said the drama unfolded around 4:30 Saturday evening.
Lloyd Arnold, Owner, Bismark Club
“The people they ride in, threw down their bike, haul the door, the door was open, and then just start to fire shots.”
Jacqueline Woods
“How many shots were fired?”
Lloyd Arnold
“About five, six.”
Lewis, who was sitting on top of this table, was the first person to get shot. He says he saw the gunman armed with a nine millimetre pistol, but there was no time to get out of the way.
Nichole Lewis, Shooting Victim
“J.J. and a next young boy open the front door with a gun in the hand and start to shoot. The first bullet caught me in my hand and bruk up my hand, and he shoot again and it catch me in my back. And then he shoot some more and catch me in my bottom and I just run.”
But Neal, who was sitting by this table, at the opposite side of the room, died on the spot after he received multiple gunshot wounds to the body. Though sources tell News 5 the bullets were meant for someone else, Lewis says he believes the shooting was intentional.
Nichole Lewis
“I know he mean to kill the young boy because where the young boy was standing up, no way the young boy could mi deh inna the way.”
Jacqueline Woods
“And why do you believe you got shot?”
Nichole Lewis
“I noh know, maybe because I hate the young boy.”
At the scene, police recovered five, nine millimetre expended shells and two nine millimetre slugs. It did not take long for authorities to arrest and charge Dawson with murder. It is expected that an additional charge of attempted murder will also be brought against him. Jacqueline Woods for News 5.
At the time of the shooting, Jamie Dawson was out on bail for the attempted murder of Raymond Gentle.
