Gang warfare continues unabated; a construction worker clings to life after being shot

Rafael Cruz

Full scale gang warfare continues unabated in Belize City; nine persons have been shot in three days. The latest casualty is twenty-seven year old Rafael Cruz. He was shot four times this morning in broad daylight on Vernon Street. The two gangs at war are George Street and Ghost Town, and this latest round of violence is believed to have started Saturday night, when George Street figures Sigmond Trapp and Anthony Scott were shot on Kut Avenue. Hours later, sixteen year old Cory White was shot as she left the Princess Casino. White is associated with a George Street personality. Retaliation was swift in coming, and on Sunday night, gunmen stormed into a graduation party and opened fire. One of the persons for whom the party was thrown is the daughter of Ghost Town boss, Roger Anthony, who was celebrating her achievement; after all she had just graduated an honor student from Pallotti High School the day before. One of the gunmen, Kirk Smith Junior, is a known George Street gang member. He was shot and remains in a critical condition at the K.H.M.H. The attack on Rafael Cruz this morning is believed to be continued retaliation, an attack by George Street in the heart of Ghost Town. Mike Rudon was on the scene just after eight this morning and has the story.

Mike Rudon, Reporting

Gunshots rang out on this busy street at a few minutes past eight this morning…as many as ten, residents told us. The target, and victim, was twenty-seven year old Rafael Cruz. He lives in the centre of Ghost Town. His family got a puppy today, so this morning he left home to ride to a nearby store to buy chow. That is when Cruz came under fire.

Norman Middleton

Norman Middleton, Father of Rafael Cruz

“When ih gwein, ih gwein pon di bike gwein out pon Ghost Town we deh inna di shop yah. All we hear da bout five shot or four shot. We noh know da who but people start to run da back yah and seh bwoy dey shot yu son…when I get out deh I see ah pon di street.”

Reporter

“Weh kinda condition he mid deh inna from weh you see?”

Norman Middleton

“The condition weh he mi inna, ih no look like e out yet. Ih still mi got e eye open an ih hold yu hand dig.”

Reporter

“Ih mi manage fu tell yu anything when you get pon di scene?”

Norman Middleton

“No nothing…no. All weh I hear is dat two person pon motorcycle haul up and one of di motorcycle man dey come off and fire di shot. One ketch a da ih belly. I understand one ketch a da ih neckback out about five shot. I noh know more or less how much more shot ih get.”

Cruz was taken to the hospital by Ghost Town boss Roger Anthony. He declined an interview, but told us off camera that the recent shootings are linked. Cruz’s girlfriend got the news as she was getting ready for work. Her son ran up to tell her that his daddy had been shot down. The bullets hit this cement fence and this iron gate…we are told four found their mark in Cruz. He is currently is on life support at the KHMH.

Voice of: Girlfriend

Girlfriend

“Ih deh pon lilfe support right now and ih no stand too good. But I hope ih pull through. He mess up ih insides…the bullet mess up ih insides so dat da weh ih deh work pon right now.”

According to family members, Cruz is not a member of the Ghost Town gang, but because he lives in the heart of that territory, he has become a target of rival gang assassins.

Norman Middleton

“My son da no no gang bang person. When he done work he come straight from work and come home. He only kip round di gang bang person dey. He only be friend wid dey. But he da no person weh heng out an look fu chance anybody or do anybody nothing.”

Voice of: Girlfriend

“To me ih da wah good person. I deh with a twelve years. Da wah very good person but the area weh he live…you know da Mayflower area so da noh wah nice area fu live and they paint yu daw eh. I mean fu seh he da no saint but he noh involved inna deh ting deh.”

Norman Middleton

“I noh see no way fu scared a nobody, because yu no do nobody nothing and nobody supposed to do you nothing. But di way I see life deh go you no hafto do nobody nothing fu dey do you something now. Deh just wah ketch somebody inna di areas fu satisfy demself in case anyone a dey next bwoy do anybody anything outside.”

Cruz has three young children with his girlfriend. His family told us this evening that his prognosis is grim. Mike Rudon for News Five.

Police in the relevant precincts have set up checkpoints and are doing stop and searches in an attempt to prevent further outbreaks of violence. We have confirmed that cameras in the area did capture the shooting this morning, but Police are having difficulties obtaining the footage because the persons with the footage do not want to get involved.