C.Y.D.P Supervisor, Raheem Arnold Gunned Down in front of His House
Raheem Arnold
We begin this evening’s newscast with the ruthless ambush and murder of a man in front of his home in Belize City on Sunday morning. It happened at number six Watermelon Street in the Faber’s Road Extension area, shortly after eleven and claimed the life of Raheem Arnold, also known as “Footy”. The attack on Arnold, by two men, happened just two days after the C.Y.D.P supervisor went marching for peace on Friday. For the family, the homicide compounds their grief over another sibling they lost to gun violence three years ago this month. News Five’s Marion Ali spoke with a sister of the deceased and has the police perspective as well in the following report.
Crystal Morris
Crystal Morris, Sister of Raheem Arnold
“Thursday weh gone, mek my bredda three years dehn kill ah and now Sunday dehn come and kill my next bredda. Weh dehn want do to we? I nuh know how my ma even tek this.”
Marion Ali, Reporting
Crystal Morris, her mother and siblings are having a tough week, enduring the loss of a loved one for the second time during the month of March, only three years apart. In broad daylight on Sunday, two men ambushed her brother, twenty-nine-year-old Raheem Arnold, in front of his house – one with a gun, the other with a knife.
Crystal Morris
“My bredda went to buy da the shop and when he come back, ih look like the person weh mi want kill ah was already in the yard waiting fi ah. Dehn tell we that two ah dehn crowd ah. One di jook ah and one di shot ah.”
Fitzroy Yearwood
A.S.P. Fitzroy Yearwood, Director of Communication, Belize Police Department
“Initial investigation revealed that Mr. Arnold was standing on his veranda when he was approached by an East Indian descent male person and a Hispanic descent male person. A struggle ensued between him and the two male persons. He managed to get away from them and ran around his house. These assailants were relentless and they followed him around the house, firing four shots in his direction, one of which fatally caught Mr. Arnold.”
Communications Director for the Belize Police Department, A.S.P Fitzroy Yearwood informed today that police are looking for two suspects. And while they are yet to establish a motive, the family is almost certain that this was another love triangle gone wrong and that he was killed out of jealousy.
Crystal Morris
“Yes, dehn have a dispute like two weeks ago. Dehn tell me dehn two mi have a dispute. I neva deh deh again, but I hear about it. My ma seh ih mention it and come deh and seh that how the young man when ih see ah he and he lone have problems. Every time. This da nuh no nothing with no past. This da something weh recently happen.”
A.S.P Fitzroy Yearwood
“We have heard several rumors. I even saw some on social media. Until I have it in writing, I cannot say whether or not it’s a fact. We would refer to this as an isolated incident.”
Raheem Arnold
The family wanted Arnold to relocate from Belize to try and avoid an incident, but he refused to leave because he wanted to be with his only child, a son who is only a year old.
Crystal Morris
“He seh he want raise ih son. He nuh want left ih son ya. That da the talk weh he always have – even ih bredda tell ah try goh. He nuh want goh. Ih seh ih wa stay fi raise ih son.”
On Friday, Arnold, as a supervisor of youths enrolled in the C.Y.D.P’s infrastructure and beautification project, took part in a Peace March in Belize City. He was on the road to reform so he could be a good example to his son.
Crystal Morris
“He try change ih life, even if he do anything eena the past, he try change ih life fi ih son and try raise ih son right and deh deh fi ih son. He da all fi ih son. I nuh know how my nephew wa even cope with this. I nuh know how – he cyaa even sleep without ih pa. Last night ih di bawl and I di watch ah and I di cry.”
In the wake the tragic incident, all that his son is left with as he grows older will be pictures and stories of his father. Marion Ali for News Five.
