Dangriga shopkeeper killed; two arrested

The shooting death of a Dangriga businessman has left a family in mourning and a community up in arms. According to police, fifty-two year old Wen Dong-lui, the owner of Chen Kee Store on Commerce Street, had just opened for business around seven Saturday morning, when two customers, one armed with a gun, entered the shop. At that point, Wen apparently began to shout. That angered the gunman, who proceeded to shoot the shopkeeper in the chest. Taking nothing from the store, the bandits made their exit, leaving Wen bleeding on the floor. He was rushed to the Southern Regional Hospital but later died while undergoing treatment. Late this evening, police announced the arrest of twenty-one year old Leslie Gentle and nineteen year old L’Tanya Gongez, who have been charged with murder.

This incident is only the latest in a recent spate of violent robberies that have plagued Dangriga. To express their anger and frustration at the crime situation in the town, the business community has decided that on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week all stores will close. Wen’s murder comes exactly one year after the death of another businessman, Woolrich McKenzie, who was also killed in a robbery attempt. The shutdown is scheduled just as Prime Minister Said Musa is scheduled to visit Dangriga as part of his nationwide tour. The business people say they want more police officers and members of the Belize Defence Force to patrol the town as a deterrent to crime.