Drugs Behind Midnight Murder of Andrew Williams in Southside
Kareem Smith
Hours later on Friday, a Belize City man was murdered around midnight. Forty-one-year-old Andrew Williams was driving a taxi on Mahogany Street when a man fired several shots at his vehicle. Williams was hit multiple times; he lost control of the car and crashed into a zing fence and perished. By today, twenty-eight year Kareem Smith was arraigned for the murder and remanded to prison until January 2017. According to witnesses, another man was in the taxi with Williams at the time of the murder. It is reported that the passenger returned fire when the car was being shot at. But police will not confirm such reports and would only say that the killing is drug-related. Here’s what they had to say:
Gladimir Cu
Sgt. Gladimir Cu, CIB, Precinct II
“On Saturday, the twelfth November, sometime about twelve-thirty a.m., Police responded to a shooting incident which happened on the corner of Periwinkle and Mahogany Streets. Upon arrival, Police saw the motionless body of a dark male person inside a dark green colour taxi car. Initial investigation reveal that whilst the driver, who was later identified as one Andrew Williams, was driving down Mahogany Street heading towards Vernon Street when passing the junction of Tibruce Street, he was followed by a male person who fired several shots towards the vehicle which led to the death of Andrew Williams. An investigation was carried out into this incident, several persons were interview and statements recorded; where at the conclusion it led to the arrest of a male person by the name of Kareem Smith for the crime of murder.”
Reporter
“Do you have any motive in terms of the shooting?”
ACP Chester Williams, Regional Commander, Eastern Division South
“The motive from what we are gathering so far is that it was some-what drug related.”
Andrea Polanco
“Sir, so, he was the intended target?”
Chester Williams
ACP Chester Williams
“From investigation yes he was.”
Andrea Polanco
“Sir, are you able to speak to us on – from what we have heard – that there was another person or two other persons in the car?”
ACP Chester Williams
“I am not going in to too much details where that is concerned.”
Andrea Polanco
“Did anyone return fire from inside that car?”
ACP Chester Williams
“No comments.”
