Two Men Narrowly Escape Death in Separate Shooting Incidents

Akeem Bowen & Alrick Smith

There were two shootings in Belize City on Monday night.  Alrick Smith was targeted as here on Coney Drive. A gunman in a Chevy vehicle drove up to Smith’s vehicle and fired shots. He was grazed but managed to drive himself to the K.H.M.H.  Meanwhile, Akeem Bowen also came under attack as he exited a bakery. Fortunately for him, he was able to flee the area and his attacker. Here is Isani Cayetano with a report.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

Thirty-one-year-old Akeem Bowen is lucky to have escaped unscathed during an attempt on his life on Monday night.  The Black Orchid Street resident had just parked his pickup truck at La Popular Bakery near Mile One on the George Price Highway.  He walked up to the store to make a purchase, unbeknownst to him that his attacker stood waiting behind a nearby lamp post.  As Bowen made his way towards his vehicle, the gunman emerged from his cover and pounced on him, letting off a barrage of gunshots.  Fortunately for the stevedore, he was able to avoid injury by fleeing on foot.  Recovered from the scene of the shooting were five, nine millimeter expended shells.  While the entire incident was captured on a surveillance camera mounted to the building, police say they are unable to make out the shooter.

Two hours earlier across town, another well-known street figure came under attack in Belize City.  Just before five o’clock that evening, Alrick Smith was fired upon twice as he drove his vehicle along Coney Drive.  According to a report given by Smith, an unlicensed vehicle described as a blue Chrysler drove up next to him and a passenger seated in the front fired two shots in his direction.  Thirty-seven-year-old Smith, who is no stranger to the law, was grazed near the left ear, but he was able to drive himself to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.  He remains in a stable condition at the K.H.M.H.

Both men have had past run-ins with the law and in Smith’s case, several attempts have been made on his life.  Prior to Monday’s narrow escape, Smith was shot on November ninth, last year whilst in the company of a woman on Curl Thompson Street.  While investigations are ongoing in these separate incidents, a nexus, if any, is yet to be established.