Dangriga Resident and Artist Shot Dead

Tonight, we begin with tragic news from Belize’s culture capital. A well-known resident who was popular for music was gunned down last night on one of the busiest arteries in Dangriga, just an hour after he stood joking with his brothers near the riverside. His siblings told us earlier that he did not go looking for trouble, but apparently trouble went looking for him, as a gunman was captured on camera running up to his target and then running away after the crime. Now, as police piece together this homicide, a family is left planning a funeral for the father of a four-year-old. News Five’s Marion Ali went to speak with the family in Dangriga today and filed this report.

Marion Ali, Reporting
Thirty-one-year-old Robert Michael Coote, a resident of New Site area in Dangriga was targeted as he stood in front of a game shop on St. Vincent Street around seven forty-five p.m. Police say Coote’s attacker, dressed in dark clothing, fired a barrage of gunshots. Nine of them found their mark and Coote collapsed on the street, mortally wounded. He was pronounced dead at around nine p.m. at the Southern Regional Hospital. Coote, who was a fisherman, was also known in his community as a musician. His brother, Fernando Avila, told us that he was with Coote about an hour before he got shot and was supposed to go back to meet him.

Fernando Avila

Fernando Avila, Brother of deceased
“The man tell me goh and when I di goh now the man tell me ‘wait, come back fi mi eena the next half an hour to forty-five minutes. Soh I tell the man ah wa come back eena the next hour.’ Heseh straight then.Soh I come home now and I tell my sister-in-law and my breddamek ah goh back fi ah. Soh I di chill out eena my room now and I di look fi goh back fi ah when I hear the man get shot.”

Frederick Coote, another of Robert’s brothers, remembered him as someone who brought people laughter.

Frederick Coote

Frederick Coote, Brother of deceased
“Some gial mi pass and the man just mi di idle ihself. Like right now like how you dehya he just mi wa tell you something mek you start laugh.”

The brothers denied other media reports that Coote associated with street gangs.

Frederick Coote
“Ah nuh like how the media class the man as a gang boss. Riverside gang boss.The man da nuhwa gang boss. He da wa fisherman.”

Police have reportedly secured surveillance footage, as well as material evidence they believe can help them in their investigation.

Marion Ali For News Five