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May 15, 2006

Mother loses two sons; police seek suspects

Story PictureTwo brothers are dead, a third is hospitalised and a friend is in critical condition following a shooting spree early Sunday morning in Belize City. The rumour mill has been in high gear since the incident, but the scenario appears to revolve around the not unfamiliar story line of petty jealousies and alleged disrespect ending in sudden death. But the participants in this drama were not your hardcore ghetto youths … not by a long shot. News Five’s Jacqueline Godwin has more.

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
The bullet riddled car remains parked in front of the Brannon residence at number sixty five Albert Street West. Inside the vehicle the shattered glass and blood stained seats speak of the horrific horror that occurred as the occupants, Kevin, Phillip and Basil Brannon and their friend Mervin Humes returned home.

Basil Brannon, Shooting Victim
?That is the only thing that saved me. I should have been with them, I should have been with them dead. That is the only thing that saved me.?

Thirty four year old Basil Brannon described the incident as an execution. He strongly alleges was carried out by at least two young men his younger brother Philip had got into an altercation earlier that morning at the Mother?s Day Bash at the Belize City Centre. According to Brannon his brother and girlfriend had got into a scuffle. During the incident Philip?s gold chain broke and the medal dropped. That is when Basil says he advised his brother to let them go home to avoid any further problems. Basil says as they reached downstairs, one of Philip?s friends recognized the young man who allegedly took the jewellery.

Basil Brannon
?Philip went to him and asked him about it and he said he did not know. Philip asked again, what happened after that Philip knocked him. He said something and Philip knocked him. I grabbed Phillip he walked off and Police bring back the guy and put him in the vehicle.?

It is at this time Brannon says two young men approached them. The duo identified as Ricardo Aguilar and Taedron Bennett confronted the Brannon brothers.

Basil Brannon
?While we were there. I think it was Aguilar and some of them start to come cross. Taedron come cross to me and asked me what happened, I told him what happened. My brother asking, Philip you know what happened, no. So whey you the do? Move from here. Taedron said something to him, he knocked Taedron. I pushed Philip and I said we don?t need to fight. Then what happened after that, I think is Aguilar that the one that tell Phillip I wa kill him. When he said then I get upset.?

Basil says that is when a police officer he identified as A.S.P. Edward Broaster came towards them and tried to calm the situation. The Brannon brother?s then left. According to Basil as they were getting closer to home they noticed they were being followed by vehicles he described as a grey tracker and a truck.

Basil Brannon
?We went straight up boulevard usual way we go home, down Yabra Bridge, Cemetery Road. My brother Kevin saw a vehicle the follow we, I told him no mein, he said yes the vehicle the follow we. So I said all right fu mek sure go in Cemetery Road; they know exactly where we live. They stopped at the lane, so I got out of the vehicle, because he had the key for my mom house, so I told him Kevin give me the key. I got out the vehicle and I jumped the fence for the buring ground and the vehicle come around to follow the vehicle so I jumped and I run to my mom?s house. By the time I reach there and open the door and try get my licensed gun and his it was too late. All I hear was one breaks noise after that.?

It is then Basil says he heard Kevin?s wife, who was seated next to her husband in the front passenger seat, plead for her life. Then he got shot.

Basil Brannon
?Please don?t shoot me, no kill me and by the time I raised up my gun it was too late. I was the first one to get shot. And I drop and I try get up back and my whole hand get numb. They shot me again and the third time in my side and that was it. And the amount of bullets they let go on the vehicle was no joke.”

Brannon says he is sorry that he could not have done anything to save two of his brother?s lives.

Basil Brannon
?We are not violent people. We are not here for that, so it hurt me more I watch my brother dead and I couldn?t do anything. Nothing at all, two of them for what stupidness.?

At the scene police say they recovered nineteen nine millimetre expended shells. Authorities believe they were only two individuals involved in the shootings.

Basil says he was able to described one of the shooters although he did not confirm if it was Aguilar or Bennett he strongly believes they are involved.

Basil Brannon
?All I can tell you it was a red skin person and I know it was a black gun. Because when I got out there he pointed it at me, and I get shot first and I think it was the same time my brother was trying to get out because the front door was open. He was trying to get out.?

?Who else would it be it be Jackie, it got to be them? It can not be nobody else but them. We are not trouble people, we go all over Belize City. Everybody who know us, know that we are the most mannerly person you could meet. They had it planned.?

?Why would you take your girlfriend out of the vehicle and left them around the lane? Witness saw this.?

Kevin Brannon who was driving the car received gunshot wounds to the left temple and lower abdomen. Philip Brannon was shot to the back of the head. Mervin Humes who remains in a critical but stable condition is recovering from gunshot wounds to the back of the head, left leg, left shoulder and left ring finger

A.S.P. Chester Williams, Head, C.I.B.
?At this point in time because of the fact of the matter is still under investigation. I will not say anything that I believe will jeopardize our investigation. So I will not disclose who were the occupants of the vehicle or when the shooting occurred. The law is not prejudice towards anybody if you are guilty of having committing a crime it is the police responsibility to bring you to justice. It doesn?t matter who they are, if it is them who committed the crime they will be dealt with.?

The police did detain the show promoter James Bush better known as D.J. Bush. Bush?s grey tracker has also been impounded. Assistant Superintendent of Police and Head of the crimes investigation branch Chester Williams would not comment on whether or not they believe Bush is involved in the killings.

A.S.P. Chester Williams
?At this point in time we have no evidence to suggest yes directly. But we are looking at his vehicle as a possibility.?

Bush however has been charged with the possession of controlled drugs. Williams says on Sunday police conducted a search of Bush?s house where they discovered six point one grams of cannabis. Meanwhile the Brannon family says they want justice because they did not go looking for trouble and returned home.

Basil Brannon
?I think that they just thought that dah two or four black guys from the southside and weh happen just happen. Nobody wah give wah damn, but they fail to realize that we are not only black people, but we are respectable people. Yes we might be from the southside, but not all bad people come from the southside.?

Jacqueline Godwin for News Five.

Police are looking for Ricardo Aguilar, a customs broker, and insurance underwriter Taedron Bennett. Aguilar is the son of former Comptroller of Customs Efrain Aguilar, while Bennett is the grandson of former Chief Education Officer Alexander Bennett.


Viewers please note: This Internet newscast is a verbatim transcript of our evening television newscast. Where speakers use Kriol, we attempt to faithfully reproduce the quotes using a standard spelling system.

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