A Courier Survives a Bullet to the Head During Friday Evening Jacking
Nyrere Parchue
A law firm messenger was shot to the head on Friday evening on Saint Thomas Street in Belize City by a gunman who was monitoring his movements. The twenty-three-year-old was carrying an envelope with documents that turned out to be birth certificates when a gunman pounced on him. After Nyrere Parchue handed over the envelope, he set chase behind the gunman who pulled the trigger hitting him on the head. But Parchue was able to get up and walk into a waiting ambulance; he remains in a stable condition. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
It is a miracle that Nyrere Parchue, a messenger employed at Pitts Law Firm, has survived a gunshot wound to the head. The twenty-three-year-old had just completed his courier duties and was reportedly headed home when he was attacked by someone who had been tailing him. The incident took place as Parchue was riding his bicycle on St. Thomas Street on Friday evening.
ASP Alejandro Cowo, O.C., C.I.B., Belize City
“Just after 4:40 p.m., police responded to a shooting incident at St. Joseph Street which is almost near where BAHA is, on the opposite side, and they have the old nursing school or the medical school. A male person by the name of Nyrere Parchue had just picked up some deliveries from the Vital Statistics [Office] and was riding to Pitts Law Firm where he normally works or he is employed. Whilst crossing from Freetown into the other lane on Freetown, going towards the monument flags, he was approached by a male person who held him at gunpoint and demanded that he hand over a folder that he had in his possession. He complied by handing over the folder and the male person made his way towards the flag monument.”
Not allowing his attacker to make off with an envelope containing birth and death certificates, Parchue pursued the thief.
Alejandro Cowo
ASP Alejandro Cowo
“Nyrere set chase after the male person. They traveled all in front of [Cleopatra White Health Center] coming to St. Joseph Street and while reaching in front of the BAHA building, the male person fired a shot at Nyrere, injuring him to the head. Fortunately, he is admitted at this moment in a stable condition at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. The difficulty in determining whether or not initially it was a gunshot was because he had fallen to the street side and he had received a large cut wound to the head. The doctor was unable to determine whether it was a gunshot or not, but after doing a CT Scan and other X-ray on him, it was observed that he had a slug inside of his head.”
The bullet, it is believed, is lodged between Parchue’s scalp and skull. Amazingly, he was able to stand on both feet and make his way into a nearby ambulance before being rushed around the corner to the K.H.M.H.
ASP Alejandro Cowo
“All we know is that it was a small firearm, according to what we understand. There was no shell recovered at the scene.”
Reporter
“Do you guys have his age?”
ASP Alejandro Cowo
“Yes, he is twenty-three-years-old and he is from 44 Sittee Street, Belize City.”
Reporter
“So what do you believe the suspect or the attacker really wanted? Nobody hold you up and seh gimme yo folder.”
Nyrere Parchue
ASP Alejandro Cowo
“Well we know nowadays, as you are walking or walking or riding in your vehicle, as you are holding a parcel in your hand or whatsoever bulky, people suspect that you have some valuables in there and this is the opportunity that this guy might have seen that Nyrere was riding with and they asked him for the folder which he handed over, but then he followed the person in an attempt to recover it back and that is when he was shot.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.
