2 Bowen and Bowen attacked at bank; 1 dead, 1 critical

We lead tonight’s broadcast with news of three murders in the last twenty-four hours… as two previous gunshot victims succumbed to their injuries. But first, today News Five returned to San Ignacio for the latest homicide, which is also the second for that municipality in past three days. It involved an attack on two employees of Bowen and Bowen Distributors which left one of them dead and the other critically wounded. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.

Marion Ali, Reporting
Today San Ignacio police were gathering the blood-stained clothing that the latest shooting victims wore when they were shot at in front of the Belize Bank on Burns Avenue. Outside the Police Station, concerned residents gathered to get a glimpse of the only suspect police had in their custody, twenty-five year-old Delan Parham, originally from Toledo.

Officer Commanding the San Ignacio Police Station, Senior Superintendent Paul Wade, said the incident happened as the Bowen and Bowen employees were about to make a deposit at the bank’s night deposit box.

Sr. Supt. Paul Wade, O.C., San Ignacio Police
“At approximately five-twenty p.m. yesterday evening security personnel form Bowen and Bowen were making their daily deposit at the Belize Bank here in San Ignacio Town. Upon doing so, a blue car drove up with three occupants. One of the occupants alighted and start firing shots along with the security officers. In doing so two of the security officers were injured and the gunman was also injured. Security officer Josiah Thompson was rushed to the La Loma Luz hospital where he died.”

Wade says quick police work has led to the arrest of three suspects; two of whom were wounded in the shootout.

Sr. Supt. Paul Wade
“Three persons have been detained as a result of this incident and we are very confident that those are the three persons who pulled off this serious crime. They are Mr. Delan Parham of Santa Elena, Cayo; Mr. Arden Goroy and Mr. Elvis Duncan, both of them from Elridge Village in the Toledo District.”

Marion Ali
“I understand these are first time offenders.”

Sr. Supt. Paul Wade
“I know the gunman and I know his family well and I do not know him as a person who has been arrested before or have anything to do with the police before.”

Jacqueline Godwin, Channel Seven
“Where were the three suspects found?”

Sr. Supt. Paul Wade
“They were found in a house right here in Santa Elena.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“Anything else was found inside the house to link them to the crime?”

Sr. Supt. Paul Wade
“The things that I have just mentioned are what was found and those link them to the crime.”

Marion Ali
“And one of them was shot as well.”

Sr. Supt. Paul Wade
“Yes, Mr. received injuries during the shootout in front of the Belize Bank.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“And he was found also at the house.”

Sr. Supt. Paul Wade
“Yes, he was found in a very serious, serious condition at the residence and was taken immediately to the hospital by police.”

Manager of Bowen and Bowen’s Cayo branch, Gilroy Spence, says his employees Ex-police Sergeant, Josiah Thompson, and Millard Tun, also an ex-police officer, were taken by total surprise and apparently had no time to defend themselves.

Gilroy Spence, Manager, Bowen & Bowen, Cayo
“Based on the hearsay, because I don’t have no proof, they were ambushed so they never had a chance to deal with anything. So it was just one of those things where these guys are getting more brazen, so to speak. Five minutes before they left I spoke to him and he was in a jovial mood, it was very hard for me to hear that something was going on and in the next half an hour, see him lying there is like unreal. Something like that should not be happening. I’m just happy that these guys got caught but that won’t bring back my friends, so.”

Parham was apprehended while driving this blue taxi on Carmen Street in Santa Elena Town. Spence says the company is now adapting more stringent measures to deter this kind of crime. He adds that they never imagined that tragedy would come so close to home.

Gilroy Spence
“We see stuff like this on television, we never thought we’d have seen, would have had to be a witness or be a part of anything like this in the Cayo District but I guess we have to live with it as it comes.”

Marion Ali
“Will you change the routine now that you have?”

Gilroy Spence
“We have already talked about the routine and that security measures and management is putting something very strong in place. I hope that we could put a justice system in place that these guys don’t walk free because that seems to be the case. They get a decent lawyer and next thing you know, their out in two years. I hope this won’t be the case for this particular incident.”

The family of Josiah Thompson were trying to cope with the terrible loss of their brother.

Roger Young, Brother, Murder Victim
“Just earlier in the day about one o’clock he called me and we had a good conversation on the phone and to get the news that my brother has been and to know that he has been killed was a bit of a shock for the whole family.”

Meanwhile Sr. Supt. Wade reassures Cayo residents that police will be vigilant in keeping law and order and restoring safety.

Sr. Supt, Wade
“We won’t tolerate any type of criminal activity. The police is here to try to prevent. However, if the crime is committed then we have to effectively and efficiently investigate and bring those who are responsible to justice. And I think that alone will tell the public what we are doing and we’ll continue to do that.”

Marion Ali for News Five.

Police have recovered a thirty-eight special revolver and a point twenty-two rifle. It is still not certain how much money was stolen in the robbery but police recovered the cash bags when they intercepted the taxi. Tun, who was shot in the head, went into surgery today at Universal Health Care Partners. His condition remains critical.