Two wounded in morning shooting

Another daytime shooting–this time not fatal–rocked Belize City just as most of us were heading to work or school. News Five’s Jacqueline Godwin has the story.

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
Sixteen year old Norman McKenzie has been identified by a witness as the young man who shot twenty-one year old Hubert Faber in his back and twenty-nine year old Simon Castillo in the back of the head. Shortly before eight this morning, residents of Arlington Drive were startled by the sounds of gunshots. Curtis Baldarez says he was on his back porch doing laundry when a man suddenly ran into his yard, up the stairs and into the family?s house.

Curtis Baldarez, Area Resident
?He run straight upstairs, asked him me for help and run into the house.?

Baldarez says he became concerned for his family?s safety because he knew they had sought shelter in the bathroom where he saw one of the victim ran to hide. Baldarez says he was also worried that the gunman would follow his target so he fled to the front verandah. Baldarez says not only was he confronted by the assailant but he realized someone else had been shot.

Curtis Baldarez
?I run come on the front verandah and I saw a guy out here with a gun holding it up to the house and I asked him not to shoot here or to please take it somewhere else or another day. I said leave it for another day and he walked away. I then came out to get somebody to help me with the guy that was wounded and at that time I heard someone else bawling behind the fence that they got shot too.?

Baldarez says neighbours then helped to transport two shooting victims to the K.H.M.H. where we understand both Faber and Castillo remain under care.

Curtis Baldarez
?I am really concerned in a way that I would like the crime to stop. Get some of the guns off the street because that is what gives the youths a lot of power when they have a gun they feel like they can do anything.?

Mckenzie has been charged with two counts of attempted murder.

Reporting for News Five, Jacqueline Godwin.

Norman McKenzie was remanded to Hattieville Prison until November twenty-eighth. Meanwhile police say they are investigating to see if the shooting was the result of an old dispute.