On crazy night in the City, Jermaine Carr ambushed and shot dead; minor and woman injured

Jermaine Carr

On Wednesday night, Belize City became a war zone. In a matter of hours five people were injured in gun violence and another lost his life. A minor, the third to be caught in the mayhem in one week, was also wounded in the madness. Around nine o’clock on Wednesday night, Jermaine Carr was gunned down at a house on Neal’s Penn Road where he went to deliver money for his child. A second gunman reportedly walked up and opened fire on Carr killing him instantly. Others in the house, including the child, were also caught in the gunfire. There is no known motive for this murder. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

A deadly ambush on Neal’s Pen Road on Wednesday night ended in tragedy.  Three persons, including a toddler, were injured in the spray of bullets when a pair of gunmen entered this property and opened fire.  When the shooting subsided, thirty-two-year-old Jermaine Carr lay dead inside the yard.  As many as four rounds had found their mark on his body, what’s left of the barrage wreaking havoc elsewhere inside the home.

Voice of: Eyewitness

“Jermaine cohn cohn sih my cousin because he cohn cohn bring money fi ahn fi school, weh he usually do, and he di sihdown pan di table weh mi deh right outside by weh paat ih dead and she di stand up beside ahn with my auntie and my cousin because dehn mi about to play dominoes and my auntie deh pan di veranda di stand up di talk to Jermaine, meanwhile Jermaine was in his phone.  My lee cousin, Gregory Mena, di stand up ya soh, middle ah di floor di dance to wahn music and dehn had dis bwai weh cohn cohn hail my uncle, but my uncle mi deh da back so he di wait da front by di back gate.  And did first gunman weh step een, he bust two shot atta di Spanish bwai weh mi di wait and he run da back.”

The armed attack would continue, a second gunman emerging from another entrance at the front of the house.  Carr was blindsided and could not escape his attacker.

Voice of: Eyewitness

“Di next gunman di walk dis way but he di walk slow, he di tek fu he time and di walk slow.  By di time my auntie and Jermaine hyah it, before Jermaine could look up, di second gunman walk through di first gate and he di point di gun atta Jermaine, so Jermaine cyant move none at all.  By da time deh my lee cousin, my auntie and my next cousin dehn done run already and then my auntie get frighten so she run eenside without even moving di baby.”

While everyone inside the residence scrambled to safety, one-year-old Gregory Mena had been left exposed.  A single round fired in his direction tore three of his toes from his right foot.  The bloodstained floor is sign of the carnage.

Voice of: Eyewitness

“Afta di gunman done do whateva he got fi do with Jermaine front deh, di second one walk front ya and he notice that my granny, my two auntie and wah two-week-old baby di eena her hand and George deh ya and he stand up deh so and he fyah wahn shot.  But di CIB seh dat di bullet ketch di baby first da ih toe, da ih three toe and then ih bounce from deh and ih bounce into the wall and ih graze my auntie weh had di two-week-old baby eena ih hand.”

A single pockmark can be seen on a wall inside the living room where the slug ricocheted after injuring baby Gregory.  Assistant Superintendent Alejandro Cowo provided details of the incident from a preliminary investigation.

ASP Alejandro Cowo, O.C., C.I.B., Belize City

“Sometime just after nine p.m., police visited 196 Neal’s Pen Road.  It’s an enclosed yard with zinc, where on the eastside of the building police observed the motionless body of a male person who was later identified as Jermaine Alexander Carr, thirty-two-years-old, Belizean of 7386 Antelope Street Extension.  Police were able to observe multiple gunshot wounds to his body and also there were several expended shells found at the scene.  Also police knew that another minor was shot, who was inside of the house and upon checking at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital they observed this minor with a gunshot wound to his right toe.”

Corroborating the account given by the eyewitness, ASP Cowo confirms that Carr had indeed arrived at the home moments earlier.  What is being disputed is the number of persons involved in the attack.

ASP Alejandro Cowo

“We know it is one male person that did the shooting.”

Reporter

“Was a female also injured or grazed?”

Karissa Sanchez

ASP Alejandro Cowo

“The only persons that were injured is the minor, the baby.  I understand, yes the female had what appears to be a graze to her body, another female that was inside of the house.”

That third victim is identified as Karisa Sanchez.  Establishing a motive, from the perspective of the eyewitness is seemingly difficult.

Isani Cayetano

“Why do you believe that Jermaine would have been targeted?”

Voice of: Eyewitness

“Well I know he dah noh wahn problem person cause when he cohn ya he da just bout fun.  He just give jokes, he laugh and then just deal with ih daughter, whatever ih got fi do and then home afta dat.  Dat da all I know, so I noh know why he dah ih target.  Maybe dehn just cohn fi kill or something and first person dehn sih, dat da weh happen.”

Isani Cayetano reporting for News Five.