Yabra resident Steero murdered near home

Deon Waight

Within two hours, police had their hands full with another homicide. Deon Waight also known as Steero was shot and killed not far from his house in the Yarborough area. Waight had left home to buy cigarettes when a slew of bullets his him in the head, neck and hand. His family believes he is a victim to the craziness on the streets. News’s Five Delahnie Bain reports.

Delahnie Bain, Reporting

On Friday night, forty-eight year old Deon Waight was mercilessly gunned down as bullets were unleashed at him inside from a passing vehicle. Waight was shot at least four times as he walked the short distance from a shop on Kraal Road to his house on Caesar Ridge Road. His brother, Papi Dickson who lives in the area, heard the gunshots but didn’t get to see Waight before he succumbed.

Papi Dickson, Brother of Murder Victim

Papi Dickson

“We didn’t really see nothing, I was in my bed sleeping when I heard the shots and I wait fi hear the effect cause when yoh hear shot, yoh listen if people cry or bawl or things like that right. I hear one guy holla it’s Steero and that name ring a bell cause that’s my little brother. By the time I get out there or come out my house, a Samaritan from up the way came and whisked him off to the hospital.”

Delahnie Bain

“How many times was he shot?”

Papi Dickson

“They said about three times on his head; three shots eena ih head. He died on the way to the hospital. The Samaritan took him but he died on the way to the hospital.”

According to police, Waight was shot twice on the head, once behind the neck and once on the left hand.

Raphael Martinez

Raphael Martinez, Police Press Officer

“Initial investigation revealed that on Friday at about ten-twenty p.m., Waight was walking on Kraal Road en route to his residence and upon reaching the junction with Guerrero Street, a white car with gold stripes—license plate unknown—stopped beside him and fired several shots towards him causing his fatal injuries. He was later transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead at ten-forty-three p.m. Three nine millimeter expended shells were retrieved from the scene as police continue to investigate this matter.”

Waight had reportedly gone out to buy cigarettes and his family believes he was the victim of a random drive-by shooting simply because of where he lives.

Papi Dickson

“He was just going to shop. He was in his house and get a little cigarette fit and from where he live, he could see direct to the store. The store close ten o’clock so I figure now he runs out there mek ah go over there and buy this cigarette and get right back because dah wah close distance. He does this all the time; this is something that he does all the time. He have no fear about nothing because he’s not in the game. We heard that the people dehn just send people round yah fi kill anybody. So it could have been me, could have been anyone, innocent person comes out just like that man that come out his house innocently going to buy something. These people just wanted to kill somebody from around here.”

And while he grieves the loss of his brother, Dickson says he sees no end to the cycle of violence that is taking over the city streets unless drastic measures are taken by authorities.

Papi Dickson

“So now we left with this situation here now, have to pick up the pieces; a loved one that’s murdered for all the wrong reasons, a family that’s left in disarray over this thing because when somebody gets killed it has an effect on everyone; it affects everyone when somebody gets killed. What we have looking forward to? What is it that we’re looking forward to? A better life? It’s not gonna happen and the cycle goes on every day. Everyone lock up in their house in the evening and Belize is becoming more of a ghost town and you know people will keep dying because that’s how it is, more robberies, everything will be escalated.”

Delahnie Bain for News Five.

Police have not yet determined the motive for the murder and have no leads.