B.D.F. Soldier Survives Shooting; Was It a Case of Mistaken Identity?

Wayne Perry

Turning to crime, Wayne Perry was days away from starting his career as a soldier in the Belize Defence Force. But on Monday afternoon, he was shot multiple times as he rode from his aunt’s to his house on Violet Lane, Belize City. Perry’s family believes it was a case of mistaken identity since the eighteen-year-old did not have problems with the law or anyone. His parents told News Five’s Duane Moody that he will now be transferred to the medical facility at the B.D.F. compound at Price Barracks. 

Duane Moody, Reporting

Wayne Perry is an eighteen-year-old resident of Violet Lane in the Saint Martin De Porres area. He recently completed the recruit training as part of Intake #65 of the Belize Defense Force and was to take up a posting at the military camp in Cayo District on February twenty-fourth. But that posting has been delayed because on the afternoon of February seventeenth, he was shot multiple times as he rode his bicycle home; in fact, Wayne was just a property away from his house when one of two men on a motorcycle unleashed a barrage of bullets in his direction.

Sheryl Perry

Sheryl Perry, Mother of Shooting Victim

“As I sit down to eat, I hear pow, pow, pow – like a barrage of bullets out here. After when I heard that, a young lady ran and say Miss Sheryl, come dah yo son Wayne. I say my son, Wayne? I say but my son noh fool with nobody; my son dah noh wah gangbanger, my son dah noh dehn type a people deh. Why dehn wah shot my son? I was so confused, I neva know what fi do. When I look, I see my son run ina di yard; di whole bottom ah ih belly di bleed, ih foot di bleed. He say mommy I noh get shot. I say, “Yes Wayne yo get shot.” I couldn’t even find my phone fi even call my husband yo know.”

Duane Moody

“So he was right outside the house?”

Sheryl Perry

“Right outside ah this gate right yah and I was in the living room. Right out yah and I mi deh ina di living room. The mirror ina my room shatter and all with the effects of the bullet.”

Twenty-four hours later, the family is still in disbelief; perplexed as to why anyone would target Wayne. The Perrys have been living in that area for decades as one of the first families to set up a residence in the area. Anthony Perry says that in all the years he has been living there, he and his family have been respected. They are not caught up in the criminal justice system and are God-fearing.

Anthony Perry

Anthony Perry, Father of Shooting Victim

“Neva ina fi we life somebody come yah come think bout violate this yard or anybody think about come and violate our house; anybody at all cause we dah working people. We noh do people nothing; we noh got time for that. My ma and all shock; she like dah Wayne, dah Wayne. She say dah dynamite, but when she come out and see my son di run through di yard di hold ih side, she say but Tony dah Wayne dehn shot. I dah like how dehn wah shot Wayne. Wayne noh got nothing fi do with people. She di bawl on the phone. I have to lef from work, hurry. I say this noh di work; that’s not my son. Dah only that deh ina mi mind, it’s not my son. You sure dah my son; dehn say yes and I say well I need to go.”

Duane Moody

“And he never complained of having any problem with anybody?”

Anthony Perry

“No. No. Noh have no problem with nobody and he stay right inside.”

It is believed that surveillance cameras along Mahogany Street and then at its junction with Tibruce Street, may have captured as Wayne rode his bicycle from his aunt’s house to Violet Street. While he was trailed by the duo on the motorcycle, it is believed that the incident is a case of mistaken identity.

Sheryl Perry

“I couldn’t even sleep last night cause I say why would somebody want to kill my son cause my son is not related to any street violence or anything like that. So I want know weh happen to the guys nowadays. I think dehn need to find Jesus because Jesus is the only way to restore fi dehn life. As weh I say and I tell everybody; me noh want no revenge or nothing. Me lef everything to God; make God be in control. I noh wah fight fire with fire. God sees and he know who do it so lef dehn make God take control of dehn.”

Luckily, Wayne was not gravely injured. According to his parents, he will be discharged from the K.H.M.H. and continue his treatment at the medical facility on the military base at Price Barracks until he is fit to take up his posting.

Sheryl Perry

“He supposed to go to posting on Monday, but the B.D.F. will take him to their hospital up there in Ladyville.”

Duane Moody

“What’s his condition? What are the doctors saying?”

Anthony Perry

“When we first reached to the hospital, he was stable and we thank God for that. And then after we get to find out that all the tests were okay so we thank God again for that. And right now as we speak, they are taking him from there to the B.D.F. to take care of him for the rest of the time for his to recover.”

Duane Moody for News Five.