74 year old man shot and killed

elston peters

There was another murder over the weekend. On Sunday afternoon, seventy-four year old Elston Peters was killed by a single bullet that hit him on the neck. The retiree passed away this morning at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. But why would anyone want to take the life of a senior citizen? Police are still looking for the motive of his homicide. News Five’s Jose Sanchez has a report.

Jose Sanchez, Reporting

Senior Citizen, seventy-four year old Elston Peters was gunned down near the homes of his children, after he delivered a pencil to his grandchild. According to the victims’ daughter, he normally made Sunday visits to her then to his sons on George Street.

Juliet Peters, daughter of Murder Victim

juliet peters

“He came to my home about five-thirty yesterday.  I was about to go to the park with one of my cousins and my son.  He came and he brought my son a pencil. He asked me where I gwen and I said I am going to the park with Kayshan fi ah short while because too much thing di happen out yah and I ‘fraid. He said “mi daughta try no deh out deh too long with your pikney because out deh too much thing deh di happen.” And I seh dad, night the come and you betta get home cause night di come and ih seh I gwen by mi sons which is my brothers on George Street. And it looks like when he reached there and left, that’s when he got shot.”

fitzroy yearwood

Sgt. Fitzroy Yearwood, Police Press Officer

“At the corner of West and Glenn Street. He was shot somewhere in the neck area. Mister Peters was in the intensive care unit at Karl Heusner and he succumbed to his injuries around nine-forty-five this morning.”

Juliet Peters

“The doctor was like your daddy only had one percent chance to live. They no even di give we fi make he past through. But thank god he past through up to this morning and it was ten o’clock this morning when all four of us were there. We no di retaliate. Yes, we mad over our father’s death because I mean at age seventy-four, why would they wanna kill an old man like that. Yes he might done live his life, but it’s not fi deh way of taking his life away from us. He was a man who loved his family. They don’t understand how we feel now. I mean we lost our mother ten years this year will make and now come lose our dad. You know, what it is everyday get up fi see your daddy and noh see ahn no more. So all I have fi seh, we leave it in God’s hands. My daddy was a child of God. He mi blessed.”

Asst. Commissioner Elodio Aragon, Officer Commanding Eastern Division

elodio aragon

“Zone Four which includes that George Street Area and all the surrounding that is an area of priority right now. That is an area of concern for the Belize City police department because that is where, like your rightly said; we are having a lot of incidents related to shooting, a number of murders taking place—whether it be from targets being the people that go out there and shoot actual targets or people who are innocent bystanders.”

And in the area that encompasses, George, West and Glenn Street, life, any age or sex can be snuffed out without cause. A week ago, seventeen year old Jordick Thompson was also gunned down less than a hundred yards from the man who was more than four times his age.

Juliet Peters

“It no have no age. Anybody di get hurt now, anybody di get shoot. Look at the baby weh just get killed on the canal side, Saturday past. I mean this di happen to anybody.  First they mi use to respect females, but no more. I mean it really serious now, it make you even scared of the store to buy. We want no kind of drama or nothing. We talked to our brothers and them. We don’t need this, you know. We done di mourn. We didn’t think it would reach our door. Now it reaches and we just want peace. Make we deal with our death in peace.”

Reporting for News Five Jose Sanchez.

Earlier today, a relative of the victim’s family moved out of the neighbourhood because of the crime.