Belize City Man Gunned Down…

Winston Whylie

There has been no end to the senseless violence which continues to plague Belize City despite attempts by the Police Department to maintain law and order. Following the wake of a bloody weekend in which three women were shot and one man gunned down, there is another murder to report. It happened late Monday night on Victoria Street. There were no official details available until late this evening, but News Five has confirmed that fifty-four year old Winston Whylie was shot down as he left his hang out spot on Lovely Lane, en route to his home at Police Street Extension. Mike Rudon went looking for answers this afternoon and has the story.

Mike Rudon, Reporting

Winston Whylie was known to hang out on Lovely Lane just off Victoria Street every day, fixing bikes and assorted appliances. But last night at exactly eleven thirty as he was riding his bike past Fabro’s Glass Shop, heading home, he was shot, allegedly by one gunman who rode from the direction of New Road. Residents told us they heard only one shot. His sister got the news late and headed to the KHMH, but Whylie was already dead from what she says looked like two shots to the abdomen.

Wilma Thompson Whylie, Sister of Deceased

Wilma Thompson Whylie

“I noh know anything much so far, other than the Police come by with Sharette…you know, and then we went to the hospital and when we went there he already died…done dead, done wrap, you know. They said two shots in the abdomen and I see wah lee patch on the shoulder. I don’t know if he got anything there…bleeding slightly through the nose and the mouth. I guess that da mussy from the fall or the internal bleeding.”

Whylie would work from home on Police Street Extension every day, but in the evening he would head to Lovely Lane to earn a little extra money. He left home on Monday after a meal with his sister. She had no idea it would be their last together.

Wilma Thompson Whylie

“Although anybody could come deh with wah lee one cents, two cents…he wah still tek it. Maybe he grumble lee bit but e still fix it. He fix fan, e fix TV, radio…yesterday when I come by he was fixing a TV in the hall…and my mom seh yu know Junior noh eat pigtail and I’m cooking pigtail…soh I had to run home and cook wah lee fish and I neva know that would be the last meal I cook fu mi bredda.”

So why did somebody target this man who was allegedly no trouble to anyone? Well, that’s anybody’s guess at this time. Police haven’t issued any official reports and nobody in the area of Lovely Lane is talking. Today his sister was waiting for a promised visit from Police, hoping they would provide some answers to the family which has seen its share of tragedy. Wilma’s other brother, Norman, was executed on Banak Street just two months ago.

Wilma Thompson Whylie

“Maybe e see something out there that e shouldn’t see…you know, because that da wah nother possibility, yu know…da just rumours. I just hope that…you know I just lost a brother two months ago, yu know…the taxi driver Norman was my brother, and my two grandchildren mi get knock down lee earlier…so I just wish that some kinda justice or something could come out of it weh I could get. Cause e really rough. He sacrifice a lot fu dis family, and he and my ma mi live together, so I know dat she wah miss a wah lot, cause they both live in the same house. No matter how dey separate inna the next two minutes they deh right back…he deh crawl back home. Nothing like home fu he.”

Whylie lived with his mother. He had no children of his own. Reporting for News Five, I am Mike Rudon.