Belize City teenager killed in predawn shooting
Tonight Belize City police are investigating yet another homicide that has claimed the life of a teenager. News Five’s Janelle Chanona reports.
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
Tonight family and friends continue to mourn the death of eighteen year old Gerald Duhanney. The young man was fatally shot in the abdomen around three-thirty on Saturday morning on Gibnut Street.
According to police, motoristspassing the scene spotted a body lying on the ground and called for help. The victim was rushed to the emergency room but died while undergoing treatment.
Deborah Miller, Mother
“I no why ih tek my baby off ah the street when he give to society, cause he noh fass with nobody and he help lotta lotta lotta people with they babies yoh know. He love pickney, he love children bad.”
According to Deborah Miller, she last saw her son alive on Friday morning. Tonight the Belize City mother is still trying to comprehend why Gerald was hurt.
Deborah Miller
“This young lady Taneesh, she got bout nine pickney. He goh mek tea fih all ah Taneesh pickney them. Help they, mind they pickney they fih half an hour, then he still have to go da fih he work weh he work da Ready Call. I noh know how he do all ah they thing deh, but people seh he help they, yoh know. I noh know why the person do it, but God noh the sleep. That I know, God noh the sleep. They might get weh from it yah, cause right now, they the get weh from everything weh happen, but they noh wah get weh from God.”
Miller believes Duhanney was walking home from his second job at Kevin’s Bar on Euphrates Avenue but for some reason had strayed from his usual route. Robbery is the suspected motive for the crime however official investigations reveal the victim only had ten dollars in his wallet.
Aaron Guzman, O.C. C.I.B.
“We are presently doing investigations where Mr. Duhanney is concerned and we have a couple people in custody doing some interviews. At present, we have not charged anyone, so we will not give any names where Mr. Duhanney is concerned.”
Gerald Duhanney (December 21st 2005)
It’s called “Card for Life: Where Your Sentimental Lasts.” It will really last, it’s made out of mahogany”.
Duhanney had been an active member of the community, volunteering at the Belize Family Life Association and more recently, at Youth for the Future as a peer counsellor.
Richard Harris, Former Supervisor
“I was shocked, yea. When I heard the news, I was shocked.”
This morning, Duhanney’s former supervisor Richard Harris sent this message to the public…and Gerald’s killer.
Richard Harris
“To tell the people, one, that most part, they took away a young man who had a lot to give back to this community and to the person that did it, you have taken a life that was valuable to not only other young persons, but also to his parents and his family members.”
If you can help investigators bring Gerald’s killer to justice, please contact the nearest police station or Crime Stoppers. Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona.
Police did recover one expended shell from the scene however ballistics experts are in the process of verifying whether it was used to kill Duhanney as the casing appears quite old. Funeral arrangements for Gerald Duhanney have tentatively been set for Wednesday.
