Gunmen harass Belize City family
The incident did not end in any loss of life… but considering the amount of lead sprayed around the northside Belize City neighbourhood, it could be considered a minor miracle. Jacqueline Woods reports on a personal vendetta that grew seriously out of control.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Shortly after 8:00 on Saturday night, the McFoy family at number 97 New Road came under attack. The assailants were three young men who the McFoy’s claim are out to get their son, Elroy McFoy.
James McFoy, Elroy’s Father
“I was upstairs in my bedroom lying down and my son came and said to me, dad come and check some guys downstairs. Something to the effect that they want to cause some problems. So I jumped up without shoes or anything and I came down and I saw a guy in a yellow shirt, standing in front of the gate or almost in front of the gate. And I came to ask him what was the problem.”
James McFoy, the General Secretary of the Christian Workers Union, says his intention was to find out what was the problem and what could be done to cool off the situation. But McFoy says what happened next took him completely by surprise.
James McFoy
“I asked him about two to three times and before I could get a response from him, he took out a mace, a pepper mace and sprayed me in both eyes and my back and my son. So I ran back upstairs and started to wash my face.”
By this time the men had left the area in a red car… but not for long. Twenty minutes later they returned, not only with pepper spray, but a tech nine.
James McFoy
“My daughter went by the door and saw them also. She went by the window and opened the window to probably identify the guy and by opening the window, the guys pulled out a gun according to what she said and she ran back inside and said the guys they have a gun. Immediately, I said to my son, you cannot go out there because you have no gun, so to cool it off. And shortly after that we heard about some twenty odd shots being fired.”
The three men had opened fire on Elroy’s vehicle that was parked across the street.
James McFoy
“There are holes to the back, the trunk, the hood, the side, the top, the front where the engine is, where the radiator is. All bullet holes, even one of the small windows that was smashed. I was made to understand that one of the guys kicked that in.”
A total of eighteen expended shells were recovered from the vehicle.
Jacqueline Woods
“Do you know why these guys want your son?”
James McFoy
“Well I gather the information after I went to the police station and came back. I heard people talking and he himself said that the guy is accusing him of having some affair with his girlfriend.”
The police have since detained the main suspect, Giovanni Lauriano, however, no charges as yet have been brought against him. Jacqueline Woods reporting for News 5.
Authorities say before the three men went to the McFoy residence, they went to the son’s house at mile eight on the Western Highway, broke in and smashed up everything inside.
