Murder in Hattieville: Ahmad Family Says Fareed was Assassinated

Fareed Ahmad

Early this morning, news spread like wildfire that well-known barber Fareed Ahmad was dead; initially due to a traffic accident that occurred a block from the Hattieville Police Station. But later into the day, it would be learned that he had been shot to the head, allegedly by a woman police officer, who was inside his vehicle. Late this evening, the police issued a statement on the incident saying that they responded to a call of an accident where they observed that a grey SUV had crashed into the back of an old vehicle and was extensively damaged to its front portion. Ahmad had injuries to the head and WPC Michelle Brown complained of pain; they were transported to the K.H.M.H. Unfortunately, Ahmad succumbed to gunshot injuries to the face and the family believes that he was assassinated. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.

Duane Moody, Reporting

The body of well-known barber and football referee, Fareed Ahmad lies in the morgue at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital tonight. The thirty-eight-year-old father of four young boys was shot to the head while driving his BMW SUV, before crashing into a parked pickup off the shoulder of George Price Highway between miles sixteen and seventeen. The blasts from what residents say was a gun, reverberated into the night before the sound of the collision was heard seconds later. Villagers exited their homes to find one of their own had been gravely injured.

On the Phone: Villager

“I hear bang, bang; I hear two gunshots immediately in front of my house and then from there, I heard the vehicle speed off and like ih hit the gravel and then I hear wah banging. So I jump up and I tell my kids dehn make we run out go see. When I reach at the vehicle, I find out that dah one ah wi fellow guys from the village and I see him on the ground sitting down there and I see the woman trapped ina di vehicle.”

Michelle Brown

Ahmad and his female passenger were rushed to the K.H.M.H. for treatment. He succumbed around two o’clock this morning; the woman police constable, twenty-four-year-old Michelle Brown, who was inside the vehicle with him at the time of the incident remains hospitalized under police guard—as an internal and criminal investigation is being conducted. But was Ahmad killed at the hands of the officer attached to the Special Assignment Team? The family says that the two were not known to be friends and allege that it was a hit.

Taheera Ahmad, Sister of Murder Victim

“The family is not insinuated that this team, I understand commanded by Mister Vidal, was involved in Fareed’s ambush, but there’s a lot of unfortunates that have been occurring under this command. What we also do know is that the same commander had invaded our private homes last year and levied a drug charge on Fareed; a case that was dismissed by the court earlier this year.”

Abdul Ahmad

Abdul Ahmad, Brother of Murder Victim

“I arrived on the scene couple minutes after the accident. There were individuals out there, the first responders, who mentioned that they heard shots prior to the accident. The police were around—you had the local police officers. At that moment, seeing my brother there on the ground, the only thing I did was see how I could help, render assistance to him. When the ambulance came couple minutes after that’s where me and my other brothers were. We left the police to do what we believe police should do and these are gaps in regards to what went wrong.”

The family asserts he was assassinated because on Wednesday he made a formal report to the Professional Standards Branch about being harassed by the unit, which falls under South Side Commander, Senior Superintendent Marco Vidal.

Taheera Ahmad

Taheera Ahmad

“My brother Fareed Ahmad was ambushed this morning around twelve a.m. near mile sixteen and a half, less than a mile away from his home in Hattieville. The Fareed that we know was a black middle-aged, law-abiding ambitious businessman, the most popular barber in Belize. He grew his business from the age of twenty-one years old to what it is today. What we also know is that the only issue Fareed has been complaining about for the past year is an ongoing surveillance and often times what he allege as harassment by special units in the police department. In fact what we know is that Fareed was targeted last week, having his vehicle searched at the Racoon Street Police Station. From that search, he again alleged harassment and excessive use of force as he was subdued, handcuffed and taken to the station by the new Special Assignment Team. Unfortunately, what we also know is that yesterday morning, Fareed made a formal complaint to the police internal affairs office with Mister Williams and less than twelve hours later, my brother was ambushed and shot multiple times.”

Both WPC Brown and Fareed carried licensed firearms, but none have been recovered. The family has more questions than answers, which was shared this evening in a prepared statement.

Taheera Ahmad

“We have many questions, like the public. Even though our family continues to be tipped by members in the police force since this incident occurred, we question, why wasn’t the scene secured by any officer when the incident happened, especially since a WPC was involved in this incident? Why wasn’t the place cordoned off since both persons were known to have weapons and when they arrived at the hospital, none of them had their weapons on them? So it’s assumed that the weapons were inside that vehicle. Why wasn’t the place secured off when the police station is less than a quarter mile away? Why did members of the SAT Team show up at the K.H.M.H. right after the incident, only to confirm if my brother had passed away? Why did they show up to the scene this morning and Mister Chester Williams had to chase the team away? I am sure they’ll be a response from the police department, but to us, the SAT Team’s behavior has caused us great alarm and grief.”

The family foreshadows that another brother has also levied charges against police and fears that he too will suffer the same fate. Duane Moody for News Five.

The Commissioner of Police has ordered a criminal and an internal investigation into this latest homicide.