Guang Dong Restaurant Owner shot during robbery

There were no gang related murders in the City over the weekend, but the sustained urban violence was felt in Belmopan. At around seven on Friday night in the capital, three gunmen targeted a popular restaurant. The owner was robbed and shot; he was rushed to the Western Regional Hospital and then transferred to the KHMH. The Taiwanese businessman is lucky to be alive. News Five’s Delahnie Bain reports.

Delahnie Bain, Reporting

Guang Dong Restaurant in the City of Belmopan has been closed since the start of the weekend and there’s no telling when its doors will re-open for business after the owner was robbed and shot on Friday night. Fo Fegng Li was attacked by three armed men and according to neighboring businessman, Lo Kin Chi, a firearm malfunction saved his life.

Lo Kin Chi, Businessman

Lo Kin Chi

“Friday night because I have a bar inside and I had customers, I turned the music louder. Then I heard boom, boom two times. I went to my window and watch outside and because ih lee bit dark, I just see di bad boy hurt somebody. Dat time I didn’t know who, but he hurt somebody. He wanted to shoot one more time but di gun had problem so he didn’t shoot again. Then three people run eenside and den run back.”

Li was injured on both legs and while the police response was quick thanks to an off duty cop in the area, Chi says they were unable to get an ambulance on the scene.

Lo Kin Chi

“At the window outside, I had a police friend because he finished work and he came here to talk with my workers. He watched everything. I heard the gun and at that time, he called police already. He called police and talk to them already. When he called police, I called 911 but I don’t know maybe 911 was busy so they didn’t answer me, but the guy talked to police long time already. When the bad boy run, I see the police and other policemen run fast. I think the police move fast and in like twenty minutes they caught one already.  Two feet were broken and we were waiting for the ambulance because we called 911 and no answer. But a truck came here and somebody moved the Guan Dong boss in the truck. I was going to use my car but my car was too small because he can’t move. They had two people to move him so the truck came and took him to the hospital.”

Chi says security is a major problem for them as businessmen because robbers are becoming more brazen. He believes the law has been too easy on criminals.

Lo Kin Chi

“It doesn’t matter; they will rob again and rob again. Like I tell one police, they will rob again because they don’t care. That is a big problem. Like the Chinese man that shot somebody [a robber], he’s gone because he’s afraid they will come back and shoot him. So somebody has to do something.  They have to put a heavy law, not a light law. One police told me he retired; nine years ago he worked for in San Pedro. Someone killed his friend and he retired because that bad boy, only six years and he come out and gone.”

Delahnie Bain for News Five.

Of Fegng Li discharged himself from the KHMH over the weekend. Reports are that at least one of the gunmen were caught on Friday night, but we have not confirmed if the two others have been detained.