Belize City mother seriously wounded in shootout

Meanwhile in Belize City, another family is holding vigil at their loved ones bedside following a robbery and shooting on Thursday night. News Five’s Janelle Chanona reports.

Gladys Moya, Victim’s Mother in Law
“Right dah yuh door-mouth, you can’t even stand up and talk.”

Janelle Chanona, Reporting
Tonight twenty-four year old Kimberley Marin remains in serious condition after she was shot by armed robbers around eight-thirty on Thursday night. The mother of two had been standing in front of her Daly Street home talking with friends when gunshots rang out.

According to her mother-in-law Gladys Moya, Marin was caught in the crossfire as security guards engaged in a shootout with two gunmen who had just robbed Sen Sen grocery.

Gladys Moya
“When I gawn da back to talk to a gentleman dah back deh I hear blam, blam, blam. I tell he, bwai, that sound like fire rocket or something like that. He seh no, goh check see dah what because that sound like gunshot. When I come out yah, my daughter-in-law weh stand up there get shot inna ih chest. The security seh the robbery mi di happen cross deh, he went over there and the bwai weh mi gone over there fi jack the chiney, fire shot after he and fire shot back and he seh the bwai fire wah next shot. So I think dah that same shot weh the bwai fire after that security ketch my daughter in law right deh so.”

Following the shooting, the robbers made off with a thousand dollars in cash and a security guard’s revolver. Police investigations into the incident have resulted in the arrest of twenty-four year old Allen James. This morning he was charged with two counts of attempted murder, robbery, use of deadly means of harm, and dangerous harm. His alleged accomplice is still at large.

Janelle Chanona
“What does this do for your sense of security, I mean right in front of your own home?”

Gladys Moya
“I di tell yuh. This place yah, I noh know, but they have to do something with dem bwai and dem guns though or they have to do something with dem bwai weh di rob people. You understand me, because now-a-days you can’t even have wah business. Weh di use a you have wah business and you deh inna your business di try mek wah lee money and dem bwai they just come and hold you up with a gun. If they would tek the money from yuh and noh kill yuh, it wouldn’t bad, but they thief yuh and still kill yuh. So they have to do something about dem guys and dem gun bout yah.”

Janelle Chanona
“What is the condition of your daughter-in-law today?”

Gladys Moya
“Well, the doctor seh the bullet went through her chest here [points to left side] and came out this side [points to right] but nothing in here noh condemn with the bullet, but just that they have her draining over this side, getting blood, and then they have an oxygen on her too because it look like she no di breathe good.”

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to please contact the nearest police station. Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona.

The accused, Allen James has additionally been charged with aggravated assault in connection with injuries sustained by Triple A security guard Mark James, who is not related to Allen. The case against the alleged robber has been adjourned until July nineteenth.