One dead, one injured in gangland-style shooting

The gangland style murder that occurred after eleven this morning in Belize City was different from previous shootings mainly in its location…that is directly in front of St. Ignatius Primary School. Patrick Jones reports.

Patrick Jones, Reporting

The intersection of Amara Avenue and Allenby Street was thrown into chaos today as a hail of deadly bullets rained down on the occupants of a small car that pulled up to the stop sign.

G. Michael Reid, Police Press Officer

“Two male persons were stopped at the stop sign when another vehicle with two other male persons passed by and fired many shots in their direction. So far we know that one person is dead and one person is seriously injured at the K.H.M.H. hospital.”

The dead man is twenty-two year old Kareem “Mattie” Swazo, who was shot in the lower part of his back. The last time his mother saw Kareem alive was two weeks ago when coincidentally we had interviewed him in connection with a story about his mother’s return to high school. His companion, Calbert Budd was shot twice, once in the abdomen and then in the hip and underwent surgery. As school children watched the commotion just outside their classroom, the police investigation cantered on two suspects who the cops say are people they know.

Patrick Jones

“It’s not a terminology that used a lot these days, but is this shooting the result of gang warfare on the streets of Belize City?”

G. Michael Reid

“Again, pure speculation at this point. We certainly don’t want to go to that area. We haven’t seen much of this in recent times and hopefully it is not a case of that and we’re hoping that it’s just an isolated incident.”

Kareem Swazo’s grandmother told News 5 that the young man, a father of two, was at home this morning when he received a visit from a friend. Shortly after, Kareem left home without saying where he was going and the next time his family heard of him it was that he had been killed. Patrick Jones, for News 5.

Swazo and Budd were on their way to bring clothes to Budd’s brother Marlon, who was detained since Friday and arraigned in court today on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm. It is speculated that the shooting may be connected to an old beef against Marlon. Police have detained three persons in connection with the crime. This morning’s murder was the nineteenth recorded this year.