A Vegetable Vendor is Robbed and Killed in Gungulung

Jose Antonio Lopez

There was a murder in Belize City overnight and it happened just off Holy Emmanuel Street. A businessman from Cayo District was at a bar just before midnight when he was attacked and robbed by a trio of men. He was fatal shot, before the robbers made off with his wallet and licensed firearm. While a surveillance camera is mounted on a perch nearby, it is unclear whether footage of the deadly ordeal was captured by the device.  Earlier today, News Five’s Isani Cayetano visited the area and filed the following report.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

A vegetable vendor from Valley of Peace was shot and killed on Wednesday night in the Gungulung area of Belize City.  The incident happened around eleven p.m., while thirty-five-year-old Jose Antonio Lopez was socializing at an establishment on Barbara Harris Street.

Luwina Garnett

Luwina Garnett, Belize City Resident

“When I hyah wahn gunshot, I usually woulda come out, at least way out ya soh because I live way through deh soh, but I neva come out becaz di night mi very dark and I neva really wahn come out eena di, yoh know.  I just hyah it and I humble myself and pray that nobody neva get shot, but eena di morning now, we yer somebody get shot.”

Lopez was inside this non-descript saloon when he was reportedly accosted by three armed individuals. An altercation ensued and one of the men opened fire on the businessman. It is believed that he was the victim of an armed robbery turned murder. His sister, also a resident of Valley of Peace, spoke with us off-camera.

Voice of: Sister of Deceased

Voice of: Sister of Deceased

“I would say that the person that did it knew his routine, knew what he was doing in the city, so definitely it was somebody that knew him. He goes to sell in Belize City, two times for the week.  He left yesterday in the evening and was preparing to sell early this morning at the market.”

But Jose Lopez would not make it to the Michael Finnegan Market at daybreak.  The location where the father of four was gunned down overnight has a surveillance camera overlooking the premises.  Its presence, nonetheless, is little comfort to a community that is concerned about public safety, ever since the bar opened its doors to the neighborhood a few months ago.

Luwina Garnett

“Wahn lee incident happened bout three, wahn month aback with wahn fellow, all his tires get destroyed because maybe dehn mi wahn rob he and dehn neva get fi do it, but afta that, di owner ah di bar put up cameras.  But I mi tell ahn put di camera pan di lamp post fi everybody safety, you know, as he have wahn bar.  With yoh camera yoh di protect everybody, even people weh di pass, [soh] yoh could know weh di happen outside ah yoh bar.  And he put di camera, I just hope di camera ketch weh ih fi actually ketch weh happen last night, yoh know.”

Lopez’s family is having a hard time dealing with the sudden loss of their loved one, the youngest of five siblings.

Voice of: Sister of Deceased

“It’s very hard, he’s the youngest of five, especially for my mom, at her age and with all her illness. He was caring, loving, family-oriented.  He was from work to home.”

According to Luwina Garnett, Belize City police have taken her sons into custody, despite the fact that they were at home with her at the time of the incident.

Luwina Garnett

“Deh mi deh eena di house, soh.  All ah we mi deh eena our bed, soh I know noh why well di police dehn di do dehn job too, yoh know, dehn investigation.  All I know dehn ker, including my pickney dehn soh and I know da noh… I noh wahn seh ah know da noh dehn cause I deh eena mi house, yoh know, but I know dehn mi eena mi house with me too. Me and mi pickney dehn mi stay right een, dehn noh even hyah di gunshot, da only me hyah di gunshot to be honest.  I hyah it and I get up and peep through my window and I shoulda mi come out but I noh come out because I neva really believe that somebody get shot.  Until dis mawnin I learn somebody get shot.”

Isani Cayetano for News Five.