City murder mars peaceful elections
The counting of ballots was not the only drama unfolding in Belize Wednesday night. While the rest of us cheered for our favourites, one Belize City resident had his life cut short by a bullet. Jacqueline Woods reports.
Constance Mae Flowers, Mother
“Right now I am very, very upset. My child wasn’t an angel, he wasn’t an angel but still he nevah deserve to get weh he get.”
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Twenty-three year old Adrian Humes, an ex-gang member, was gunned down at the corner of Seagull Street and North Creek. Authorities say Humes was fatally shot in the chest and left arm by a group of young men who had chased through the neighbourhood. Humes resided with his family at number 3148 Supal Street.
According to Constance Mae Flowers, her son was killed by someone who had consistently threatened him. Flowers claims that witnesses told her that shortly after 10:00 on Wednesday night the group first attacked Humes, then ran after him and finally shot him dead
Constance Mae Flowers
“Killa whopped him with a baseball bat back by Vianney school in his head and in his back. My son left from there and gone by his friend’s house and then they followed ah. Another of my friend tell me that he saw them having a fight on the boulevard. And it looked like my little boy had left to come home now when they rode him down and shot him.”
Flowers says she not only has to deal with the death of her son, but is also upset about the way she claims the police have handled the incident.
Constance Mae Flowers
“Well Jackie up to now no police come to me, up to now. My son had on bangles, he had on earring and he had money in his pocket. Because before he left from here, I see the money, and dah money that he get from people who were here yesterday. And they took off the things them, the bicycle them and they had my son down there almost an hour and change before they picked up my son. And what disturbs me is because they put a red rag over my son’s face and they claim they found the red rag in his pocket. When my other children gone to see their brother, they refuse to let them see him.”
Authorities say they did not intentionally delay the removal of Humes’ body, but because it was an election night and most of their officers were on special duty, there was a delay in getting to the scene. As for the jewellery, the police say it is in their possession and are just waiting for the family to claim it. Flowers admits her son has been in trouble before, but that he did not deserve to die they way he did.
Constance Mae Flowers
“My son was never perfect. I am a mother, I give people satisfaction, anybody come and complain I no cuss out nobody. You deh home, your kids are out there, you do not know what your kids are doing. But I am his mother and I love him. The same way how I feel anybody will feel for their children, they had no right to take my pickney life.”
The police say they are looking for persons to question including one Raymond Gentle also known as Killa. Authorities are also trying to determine if Humes’ murder is connected to another shooting incident that occurred about fifteen minutes before Humes was hit.
Jacqueline Woods for News 5.
Police strongly suspect that Humes’ murder is connected to another shooting incident that occurred just fifteen minutes earlier at the corner of West Canal and King Street. Authorities would not say exactly why they believe the cases are related, but only that the person they have detained in the shooting incident is familiar with the murder suspect. Around ten on Wednesday night, thirty-four year old Elroy Saldano was standing at the street corner when a man he knows approached him, pulled out a hand gun and shot him in the right side of his chest and left thigh. Saldano remains at the K.H.M.H. in a stable condition.
