Chinese Businessman Perishes 10 Day after He Was Shot
Ten days after he was shot, a Chinese businessman, Jing Wu, succumbed at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Wu was along with his sideman, who is believed to have been the intended target. A gunman surprised the duo on Lovely Lane where they were making a delivery. Rogelio Selgado from a Majestic Alley address was uninjured, but Wu was hit on the head. Though he fought to stay alive, he succumbed at one this morning. Police now have another murder to investigate. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Thirty-five-year-old Jing Wu was delivering ice along with his sideman, Rogelio Selgado, on September tenth when a gunman exited a bushy lot on Lovely Lane and opened fire on them. Police say the intended target was Selgado, a resident of the Majestic Alley area, who escaped unhurt. But Wu had been hit to the head and remained hospitalized in a critical condition at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Unfortunately after one o’clock this morning, Wu succumbed to his injuries.
Alejandro Cowo
ASP Alejandro Cowo, O.C., C.I.B., Belize City
“He succumbed to his injuries over night at about minutes to one and at this moment, the body is at the morgue where a post-mortem will be conducted sometime today.”
Even though Wu was innocent, police say that the shooting was motivated by gang warfare on the north side of Belize City. Several persons, including the main suspect, were initially detained, but subsequently released due to lack of cooperation from the community.
ASP Alejandro Cowo
“As I mentioned the last time, yes we had two persons detained but we had to release them after being interviewed. But one of them still remains as the prime suspect.”
Reporter
“So you had to release them because of the usual reason, for want of persons to give statements?”
ASP Alejandro Cowo
“Yes.”
Reporter
“So now that he has died and it is a murder investigation, will these people be re-detained?”
ASP Alejandro Cowo
“Well we are still working on that case; we are still speaking to persons who were in that area to come in and cooperate with us to see if this can lead to somebody being detained and later charged for that murder.”
The murder has sent shockwaves across the Belize Chinese community. Chairman of the Chinese Association, Edmund Quan says that the death of yet another Chinese national is concerning and the government has to do something about the level of crime.
Edmund Quan
Edmund Quan, Chairman, Chinese Association
“When I woke up, I saw the message in my phone that he passed last night around one o’clock in the morning. All I can say is that it is a tragic situation. I haven’t gotten chance to talk to the family, but they are in mourning right now, but later I can give them a call and see what arrangements they are planning. It’s a tragic thing for the entire country. He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time, wrong companion, which doesn’t justify it, but of course, I guess perhaps the government needs to really tighten up on the laws and stuff like that.”
Wu had been living in Belize for over fifteen years and was the proprietor of Lis Grocery on Mahogany Street. Duane Moody for News Five.
