Michael Tesecum Survives a Second Attempt on His Life

Michael Tesecum

A forty-one-year-old resident of Belize City narrowly escaped death on Wednesday night after a second attempt was made on his life. Michael Tesecum was on Tiburce Street when a gunman came dangerously close to him and opened fire. The shooter then fled leaving the injured victim to die on the street. He was hit three times, but Tesecum survived the attack and has undergone surgery at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. In a previous attempt on his life last December, he was chopped on the head. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

A second attempt on the life of forty-one-year-old Michael Tesecum, known to family and friends as Jacob, has left the Belize City resident hospitalized after being shot multiple times on Wednesday night.  The incident happened around 7:30 p.m., as Tesecum was making his way on foot along Tibruce Street.  It is reported that he was accosted by an unknown individual who pounced with near-lethal accuracy, firing upon his target at close range before leaving him for dead.

Alejandro Cowo

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

“Just after 7:30, police also received information of several shots [being] fired in the Tibruce Street area and as a result they visited the hospital where they observed Michael Tesecum with three apparent gunshot wounds to the body.  He was treated and taken into surgery immediately because of the extent of injuries that he had received.  Fortunately, he was admitted and right now he is in a stable condition.”

Police responded to the scene of the shooting fairly quickly and found Tesecum lying face down on the pavement, onlookers gathering around him in bewilderment.

ASP Alejandro Cowo

“What we understand is that Mr. Tesecum was walking on the street when he was just approached by someone who fired several shots at his direction which caused the injuries to him.”

Reporter

“Have you been able to gather a statement from Mr. Tesecum?”

ASP Alejandro Cowo

“The position, he is not in a position to be speaking right now because he is in intensive care even though he is stable, but he has no communication with no one up to now.”

According to Tesecum’s mother, who spoke with News Five off-record, he is fortunate to have escaped grave injury because the nine millimeter rounds that struck him during the shooting did not rupture any of his internal organs.  In December 2018, Michael Tesecum was viciously chopped in the head during an altercation with a fellow city council employee, while he was seated in the back of a bus.  That incident took place on Cairo Street.

ASP Alejandro Cowo

“I know that some time ago, he had an altercation where he had received an injury to his head.  The person was charged for that crime that was committed against him, but there is nothing up to now that is indicating to us that that is part of what took place last night.  We understand that yes, he had some misunderstanding with some family members last night and that might have triggered what happened to him.  That is one of the angles that we are looking at, at this moment.”

While there has been no connection made between the previous attack on Tesecum and the attempt on his life on Wednesday night, investigators are leaving no stones unturned.

ASP Alejandro Cowo

“The investigators are in the area canvassing right now to see what we can pick up and from there whatever we get we will continue with our investigation.  And if Mr. Bodden needs to be picked up that will be done along with other persons or other suspects that come.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.