Shopkeeper gunned down
If the police didn’t have enough problems trying to find the man who could be Belize’s first serial killer, last night another Chinese shop was the scene of a cold-blooded murder. This time the victim and his wife were both attacked by their assailants who made off with an undetermined amount. As usual, police have rounded up some suspects, but at news time no arrests had been made. The incident has outraged the Chinese Community who are once again urging police to help them. Hyacinth Latchman reports.
It was a little after eight last night when police received the call that there was a shooting on Jasmin Street involving a shopkeeper. When they arrived on the scene they saw forty-two year old Li Ron Chong lying on the ground suffering from what seem to be a gunshot wound to the chest while his wife Li Yun had a cut to her forehead. Li Yun told police that three masked men entered their shop last night demanding money. The couple immediately handed over what they had, but that was not enough for the culprits, as one of the assailants later shot Chong and cut his wife. The three assailants later fled the scene. Police say that after the shooting Li Ron Chong later died at the K.H.M.H. They immediately launched an operation which led them to Francis Pollard and Alex Goff who are now in police custody. Inspector Simeon Alvarez told us this afternoon that something needs to be done and very soon.
AIP Simeon Alvarez, Head of C.I.B.
“I think that something will need to be done in respect of these serious incidents which have been occurring where Chinese are involved. I wouldn’t say that they are specific targets, but something will need to be done very urgently about these situations.”
Police say that they are still on the lookout for Carlos Escalante and Kenrick Reneau who they believe could assist them in the investigation. The Chinese Community will have a meeting tomorrow to determine where to go from here. But while they are expressing extreme frustration at this point, they are asking authorities to do their best in solving these cases.
Archie Lee
“I was feeling very, very bad because so many things are happening not only to the Chinese people. Like you can see for any of the citizens and nobody knows who will be next.
They don’t get enough proof, evidence, they have to release them. But this time I hope the Government of Belize they could increase the penalties, especially the death penalty. If they don’t get no penalty, nobody will be afraid. They will do it again and again.”
Lee says that after the meeting in the next few days they will be making recommendations about how to increase the safety of Belize’s Chinese citizens. Hyacinth Latchman for News Five.
On March sixteenth two Chinese women were brutally attacked at their shop on Freetown Road in the middle of the day. Yang Li Chan died the next day of a gunshot wound to the forehead. Two men, Andrew “Outlaw” Kelly and Dean “Mr. T” Bodden have been charged with the murder, but only after Andrew Kelly escaped from custody. He was recaptured on the beach in Gales Point.
