Popular Newspaper Vendor is Executed in Belize City

Karl Lamb

As the counting of ballots was underway in the City, a newspaper vendor was ambushed and executed on Lacroix Boulevard. Thirty-eight-year-old Karl Lamb was speaking to an individual when he came under attack. A gunman approached him from behind and fired multiple shot, killing him instantly. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.

Duane Moody, Reporting

He was the popular newspaper vendor who was almost always stationed at the foot of the BelCan Bridge in front of Farmer’s Market, but on Wednesday night around eight-thirty, Karl Lamb was executed a few blocks from his house off Lacroix Boulevard in Lake Independence.  The thirty-eight-year-old was shot once to the head and twice to the chest and died instantly as he spoke to a person at an intersection that was the crime scene of another murder years ago.

ASP Alejandro Cowo, O.C., C.I.B., Belize City

“While police were busy at the different counting stations in Belize City, police responded to a shooting incident located at the corner of Park Street and Lacroix Boulevard where upon arrival they observed Mister Karl Kevin Lamb, thirty-eight years old, suffering from gunshot wounds to his body. He was taken to the Karl Heusner Memorial hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.”

Surveillance cameras captured an unsuspecting Lamb talking to a person who stood behind a fence; his bicycle was on the ground in front of him. A gunman gripping with both hands what appears to be a nine-millimetre gun walks up to him from behind and about three feet away, fires three shots at Lamb. Lamb falls to the ground dead, while the person he was talking to takes cover behind the fence.

The murder has left many relatives and friends stunned because Lamb is not known as a troublemaker. Police say that while it is clear that he was the intended target, since the gunman came directly at Lamb, they suspect that the crime was as a result of feuding gangs in the area.

ASP Alejandro Cowo

“We suspect that it is because of an ongoing feud that is stemming up in the Martin’s area between the two different groups in the area.”

Reporter

“Now sir from all indications, this particular victim is known to be a very hard worker; somebody who keeps to himself, somebody who has a very good reputation. How is it that investigators feel that he might be caught up in such activities?”

Alejandro Cowo

ASP Alejandro Cowo

“Well earlier in the day, there was an attempt shooting on two persons almost in that vicinity and we believe that that was what triggered the shooting death of Mister Lamb later in the night.”

Reporter

“Sir and based on your investigation, could you say whether he was the specific target being that there were more than one individual in that specific area?”

ASP Alejandro Cowo

“He was the only person at the moment when the shooting happened. As I mention, he was speaking to somebody else who was behind a fence.”

Assistant Superintendent Alejandro Cowo says that investigators are following several leads, but no one has been detained for this latest homicide. Duane Moody for News Five.

In reference to the murder of Brandon Humes which occurred on San Pedro last Thursday morning, police confirmed today that the main suspect, an Asian businessman, in the company of his attorney, turned himself in to police. After two days in custody, the individual was released due to insufficient evidence.