Family Speaks Out on Death of Jason Sutherland

Jason Sutherland

The family of Jason Sutherland is still coming to terms with his murder which occurred last week Thursday. A gunman discharged as many as nine shots killing the twenty-nine-year-old Belize City resident instantly in a city neighbourhood that has become a hotbed for gangs. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.

Voice of: Sister of Deceased

“With the friends that he keeps, you know, sometimes it’s our company that makes us become a target for these rival gangs and… It’s hard Isani and really and truly I believe you don’t have to do nobody anything for you to be a target.  So that was his thing, friendly, outgoing, mannerly.  You will see him right at that gate every day, anytime.  So he didn’t deserve to die that way.  Getting nine shots, Isani, that is too much.  You know, so it was really something that they sent to kill him, for whatever reason, like I said, only God and the person who did it knows why they did what they did to him.”

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

The murder of twenty-nine-year-old Jason Sutherland, mortally injured in a salvo of gunfire on Thursday night, is being looked into as a possible reprisal.  The deadly shooting came on the heels of a previous incident in Port Loyola last Wednesday during which four persons were wounded while standing at a shop on Faber’s Road.

Chester Williams

Chester Williams, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations)

“In respect to the murder of Mr. Sutherland, we are looking at the possibility of a retaliation from the [Wednesday] night shooting.  So that one, though not confirmed as yet, we believe it is gang-related and we do have a person of interest we are looking at in respect of that matter and hopefully very soon we’ll be able to close in on that investigation as well.”

Sutherland’s death is book-ended by a series of armed attacks in that neighborhood last week.

Alejandro Cowo

ASP Alejandro Cowo, O.C., C.I.B., Eastern Division

“The first murder occurred on Thursday, May third, 2018.  Sometime after eight p.m., police visited the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where they observed Jason Sutherland with several apparent gunshot wounds to his body.  Police learned that Sutherland was inside of his yard which is located at 3383 Central American Boulevard.  He was along with another male person and whilst they were having a conversation a male person came from Central American Boulevard and from over the [gate] he fired several shots in their direction, causing the fatal injuries to Mr. Sutherland.”

Family members told News Five today that their loved one was shot as many as nine times, the gunman virtually emptying his firearm on his target.  For his grieving sister, the writings were on the wall.

Voice of: Sister of Deceased

“I would always advise him, you know, “Bredda, please somehow you need to get out of that area where you are living because the city, from what I have seen is, you know, very hot.  The violence is escalating and there is no end to it.”  But like what he used to say that, “Sis, this is my home.  I have nowhere to go.”  And I said, you know, just be careful.  He said, “Sis, you know I keep it on the down low.  I don’t go around doing anything.  I stay in my yard on my block and would sell whatever I need to sell.”  But anything other than that, it’s just, you know…  But like I said, I keep on telling him, you know, Jay, seek God because that is the best solution in this terrible world that we are living in.  The last thing he said was, “Sis, I’ll come and see you someday.”  And I said, well, but that day never came, you know, until when I got the call and find out that it was indeed my brother that was executed Thursday night.  So it’s very heart wrenching.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.