Father of 8 dies in ride-by shooting

Eight Belize City children are without their father tonight after he was gunned down over the weekend. According to police reports, thirty-seven year old Anthony “Oats” Usher, a popular newspaper vendor, was with friends on the Berkeley Street Bridge around 2:00 a.m. on Saturday. News 5 understands that shortly after a young man, twenty-four year old William “Cat” Usher joined them, a masked man on bicycle rode up to the men and fired five shots into the crowd. One bullet struck Anthony Usher in the back of the head and another hit William Usher in the right arm. While William remains at the K.H.M.H. receiving treatment, Anthony Usher died within hours. According to Police Press Officer G. Michael Reid, while the rumour mill is in high gear with word that the wrong man died, investigations so far have not been able to confirm this and the police work has been hampered by a lack of co-operation from eyewitnesses.