Community backs Sikaffy in shooting
It was a story that broke while most Belizeans were eating breakfast and continued to build over the course of the day. Few Belize City residents were without an opinion on the shooting of two armed robbers and most of those questioned had very little sympathy with the bandits.
Citizen #1
“If he didn’t defend himself right away, he could have been the one injured, maybe lose his life and probably there was other people who could have been hurt in that situation at that time.”
Citizen #2
“I think he did a good thing. Government has to do something, start hanging a few men and those boys will straighten up a little.”
Citizen #3
“More thing like that happen, that you find justice right away because it doesn’t make sense to wait for the court and afterwards they walk free after a while. So I think it was a good idea.”
Citizen #4
“They say “you not Belizean, you not Belizean.” I’m not Belizean, but the business is for me, the money is for me and if they come I cut the man.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“You cut him?”
Citizen #4
“Yes.”
Citizen #1
“They come around saying that they don’t have jobs for so many Belizeans to work. They find out no jobs are out there and they have to get into these crimes, robbing, burglary whatever. Which in it isn’t right. But what I want the police to do is to settle down and think about it, how many crimes happen in Belize. It can be one of their kids, their mother, their mother’s mother, their father, whoever.”
Citizen #5
“I wouldn’t want the person who got shot to be vex with me, or Mr. Sikaffy get vex with me.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“Vex with you to speak your mind?”
Citizen #5
“Yeah, I believe. It might be a problem for me with the two that had the problem.”
Citizen #6
“The guy who did the robbery, he will die.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“He’s not dead yet though, the guys who did the robbery?”
Citizen #6
“They’re not dead? Well they done get their pay. They done collect.”
Citizen #7
“He had all the rights to do that. They were not supposed to break into any shop or anything like that.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“As somebody who is selling out here, are you worried?”
Citizen #7
“Well, a little bit, but not that much because I have my boss who is always watching my back, so I’m okay.”
Citizen #8
“I think the man has a right to defend himself or else they will kill you for your own things, so you have a right to defend yourself.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“Would you have done the same thing?”
Citizen #8
“I would have done the same thing.”
Police have not commented on whether Sydney Sikaffy will be charged with any crime, but given the apparent popularity of his actions, it is expected that his shooting of the robbers will be classified as falling within the broad definition of self-defence.
