A Gangland Execution on Neal’s Pen Road; Micah Baltazar was Blindsided
Micah Baltazar
Another mother is grieving the loss of a teenage son to gun violence tonight. Florentina Baltazar’s son was gunned down on Neal’s Pen Road on Monday night, several minutes after leaving his cousin’s home. Admittedly, Micah Baltazar was no saint, but his mother says that he was simply misunderstood. Police, on the other hand, say that it is all gang-related and that Baltazar was in the wrong neighbourhood when he was preyed upon by his rivals. Here is Isani Cayetano with that story.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
A nineteen-year-old Belize City resident is dead and his murder on Monday night is being investigated as a gang-related homicide. Micah Baltazar had just left his cousin’s house on Rivero Street and was walking along Neal’s Pen Road around 7:30 p.m. when he was pounced upon with lethal precision. A gunman fired several shots in his direction, leaving him for dead on the sidewalk.
Alejandro Cowo
Supt. Alejandro Cowo, O.C., C.IB., Eastern Division
“Upon arrival at the scene they observed the motionless body of a male person who was later identified as Micah Baltazar, nineteen years of age. We have a Holy Emmanuel address for him and also he uses a Mahogany Heights address. He was seen with apparent gunshot wounds to his body. What we understand is that Mr. Baltazar had just exited his uncle’s residence which is somewhere in the Kraal Road area and was walking on Neal’s Pen Road when he was approached by someone who fired several shots at him causing his death.”
According to Florentina Baltazar, her son has had a troubled past, but notwithstanding the fact that he has made several enemies along the way, his demise was unforeseen.
Voice of: Florentina Gomez-Baltazar, Mother of Deceased
“Micah give ih trouble, but Micah love and respect everybody. I noh know. I noh wahn get pan TV and di cry. I just haftu pray fi everybody, pray fi dehn youths ah Belize. My son mi deh home with me. My son left home Friday because ih mi di dance up fi ih lee bredda, fi ih lee bredda birthday di Thursday and di Friday afta ih ker ih lee bredda fi me da Belmopan, ih gaan buy wahn charger fi spend lee time with ih lee bredda. Ih pick up ih bag and ih seh, “Ma, ah di lef.” Because ih mi di help me do work round my yard.”
That would be the last time Baltazar would see her son alive, when he left her home on December eleventh. Police say their investigation thus far points to gang involvement as Baltazar was from a different neighbourhood in the city.
Supt. Alejandro Cowo
“We have been gathering some information and so far we know that he is not from that area and because he hangs out at another location, we believe that’s the motive why he was shot.”
Andrea Polanco
“So he was in the wrong turf, you are saying?”
Supt. Alejandro Cowo
“Yes.”
Andrea Polanco
“So it points back to a gang rivalry?”
Supt. Alejandro Cowo
“We suspect it is. It has to do with gangs.”
Andrea Polanco
“Any suspects at this time?”
Supt. Alejandro Cowo
“We are looking for one person that we believe can assist us in our investigation at this time.”
The family of Micah Baltazar, particularly his mother, is calling for a ceasefire among rival groups in Belize City. Her son’s killer, she says, has already been absolved in her eyes.
Voice of: Florentina Gomez-Baltazar
“But I know people noh like ahn. I know people noh like ahn. I know ih have ih own issues because ih have wahn mental disorder yoh could seh or wahn behaviour disorder and Belize people noh educated fi know how fi deal with people with disabilities, yoh know. And Micah being nineteen, probably people weh uneducated, as ah seh, noh know and probably he snapped too, you know. My son noh di miss out pan nothing, dah di person weh kill my son, he need praises, he need God. My son di rest, my son noh haftu worry bout weh ih wahn eat tomorrow. Di individual haftu di live wahn life di hide from God, hide from ihself. But fi me, I done forgive ahn because I di seh, no retaliation.”
A police investigation into Baltazar’s murder remains ongoing. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.
