City war continues with latest murder

Belizeans may have survived Hurricane Felix without a scratch but today luck was not on everyone’s side. Around three this afternoon another young man became a casualty of what appears to be a war on the streets of Belize City. Shortly after the fatal shooting I visited with the victim’s family.

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
The mood through Majestic Alley was sombre.

Voice of Melanie Gladden, Sister of murder victim
“He mi just come through yah yesterday. Come because he mih gone da court and thing, so ih come ask me fu wa bail, if I could go bail ah and thing. But he neva mi the seh nothing and my aunty tell ah just watch how he the ride bout and thing cause done know weh the happen right now.”

One week after George “Junie Balls” McKenzie was murdered his nephew twenty-two year old Floyd Gladden has also been killed. Gladden better known as “cinco seis” had gotten a job to trim trees inside this yard on Warrie Street and was working at the residence when he was shot a number of times. Melanie Gladden, in fear of her own life, did not wish to appear on camera. However she told us that she does not know if her brother’s killing is connected to her uncle’s homicide. She only wants the bloodshed to stop.

Voice of Melanie Gladden
“I da really want see all ah it end, because they just kill my uncle last week Monday. Yesterday mek one week since my uncle dead, now they kill my breda todeh. I da really want they ah thing yah end. I just want tell they like put down the gun and mek we start have fun cas the gun the mek fu we eye water run. We can’t have no fun with they gun deh.”

Police would not comment on a motive but told News Five that they do have the person they believe killed Gladden in custody.

By our unofficial count, today’s murder was number sixty-three for the year.