Devon Arnold is Murdered, Wayne Pratt Hospitalized following Belize City Shooting

Devon Arnold

In Belize City, Devon Arnold perished in a shooting on Friday night. Arnold was with his friend Wayne Pratt and others when they came under attack as they stood in front of a store. Pratt survived the gun violence and remains hospitalized.  Police are following a lead that the shooting may be linked to a previous murder on Central American Boulevard last year. But Arnold’s family says they are baffled at his murder. News Five’s Duane Moody reports. 

Duane Moody, Reporting

Around eight o’clock on March sixth, shots rang out on Central American Boulevard in Belize City. Two men, Devon Arnold and Wayne Pratt, were shot as they stood in front of Tommy’s Store by two gunmen who opened fire at the unsuspecting men. They were rushed to the K.H.M.H., but Arnold succumbed to his injuries about an hour and a half later, while receiving treatment. The news of his shooting alone came as a surprise to the family, who are still perplexed.

Voice of: Tanisha Slusher, Sister of Deceased

“I got a call and when I got that call it was stated to me that Devon was shot. It was shocking cause I would never believe that it would have be Devon that was shot. I believe that it would have been someone else. And then that was it. It is still a shock to me. I feel like it is a dream, but it’s come to a reality now that it has happened. He passed away at the hospital.”

Arnold and Pratt were socializing with friends when they came under attack.

Wayne Pratt & Devon Arnold

Voice of: Tanisha Slusher

“He went, he bought and stopped at the alley and associated with his friend and after that things just went haywire from there.”

Supt. Alejandro Cowo, O.C., C.I.B., Eastern Division

“Both of them, along with other friends, were standing in front of a shop on Central American Boulevard when they were approached by two male persons, each who were armed with firearms, who fired several shots at them, causing the fatal injuries to Mister Arnold and injuring Mister Wayne Pratt. So far police has in custody two persons that they are investigating at this moment.”

Tanisha Slusher says that Devon was innocently killed and had no beef with anyone, nor was he caught up in the criminal justice system.

Voice of: Tanisha Slusher

“He wasn’t someone who was involved in any type of crime. He’s the loving-est person. He laughs so hard; he is well-mannerly. Not a day goes by he disrespected anybody so for us to hear that it was Devon. It was heart-wrenching cause he never wronged anybody, thief anybody, rob anybody…nothing like that. He was mannerly, always with his jovial smile, nothing of this sort to say that he was to be targeted.”

Duane Moody

“You think maybe mistaken identity?”

Voice of: Tanisha Slusher

“We don’t know. Honestly, we are still baffled as to what happened. We don’t know what caused it.”

So what could have motivated the gun violence and murder? Superintendent Alejandro Cowo shares what the investigation is uncovering so far.

Alejandro Cowo

Supt. Alejandro Cowo

“We believe it is due to an incident that happened last year that we believe that it might have some connection with two other shootings that had happened on Central American Boulevard.”

Andrea Polanco

“Do we know if he was targeted at any point before this murder?”

Supt. Alejandro Cowo

“No.”

Reporter

“So you guys have established that Pratt was the intended target?”

Supt. Alejandro Cowo

“We cannot be exact if he was the intended target as there were many persons at that shop at the moment. I know that he and the other guy were the two ones that were injured. But there were a total of four persons in the group.”

Reporter

“Sir, Devon was the cousin of Rafael Usher. The family believes that the same person responsible for Usher’s murder is responsible for this murder.”

Supt. Alejandro Cowo

“We have that person in custody. As I mentioned, we have two persons in custody and they are being interviewed at this moment.”

The police are asking for the public’s assistance in coming forward to share details on what happened to solve the gang violence in the area. Duane Moody for News Five.