Suspect arrested in gas station killing

A bicycle seems to be at the root of another Belize City murder and police say they have the shooter. At around three thirty Tuesday a young man rode a bike to the A and R Service Station on North Front Street but one of the attendants, Alex Perez, recognized it as his own which had been stolen two weeks ago. Perez seized the bike from its rider, who then left the station. News Five spoke to an eyewitness, who wants to remain anonymous, who watched events unfold.

Eyewitness

“Well I was working with Alex Perez yesterday and I saw that he was taking the bike from the next guy. And I came out to see what was going on and I listen to the way they were talking. And the guy said he don’t want no problem with the bicycle. He walked over and went over the next bridge. Not even five minutes he came back on another bicycle and point and shot Alex at the spot where me and him were standing between the two pumps. I only feel Alex drop and I picked him up and I send him to the hospital because only we one were at the gas station.”

Perez died a few hours later at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. But based on reports at least from four witnesses police today arrested and charged Kelvin Francis of East Collet Canal with the crime of murder. The gas station, just across the street from Holy Redeemer school, is no stranger to gun play. Last June a customer, Pedro Orbano Allen, was shot five times in a drug related hit. In that case the shooter Juan Ramirez was sentenced to life in prison.