Not since the times of American west cowgirl Annie Oakley has a woman earned renown for handling a firearm with great precision.
But a Belize City woman may soon be able to lay claim to her crown, and the lady rising to take that spot is no other than city councilor Debbie Vasquez. For the second time in 5 months, Vasquez has shot at a criminal in self-defense, this time the bullet found its mark.
Yesterday Vasquez had to pull out her "strap" and use it on a burglar who broke into her house yesterday afternoon. We today spoke to the gun slinging councilor who told us what happened.
Alfonso Noble Reporting,
City councilor and businesswoman Debbie Vasquez is not exactly a virago but don't let appearances fool you. Vasquez has on at least two occasions had to prove her mettle when she's cross paths with Belize City's criminals. The second incident occurred yesterday afternoon. Vasquez says she was at one of her businesses on the Southside of Belize City when her son called her telling her burglars were inside her house. She made a dash across town to her North Front street home to have that encounter with criminals in her turf.
Debbie Vasquez, Belize City Councilor
"Upon reaching my house I opened the gate and went to the back of the yard, and ran up the step where as I entered my kitchen I encountered one of the burglars and my son struggling. Well I got in it whereupon he had a knife in his hands and he aimed the knife at me and I had to draw back. At that time my brother stepped in and they struggled a bit and they went on a verandah, the little porch that we have, and then while they were struggling he fell over the railing. When he fell and dropped he wanted to run and at that point I had my licensed 380 on me which I took out, aimed it at him and told him not to run and he still tried to run so I shot him."
"I didn't try to aim for his upper part. I just aimed from the waist down so that you know he doesn't get away."
And he couldn't the first shot found its mark on the burglars buttock and even so he tried to make his escape from under the house. This action caused Vasquez to again take aim, this time plugging him in the ankle. He then limped from under the house to this corner leaving a trail of blood where he moved. Vasquez says she held the gun at him until the police arrived. While the circumstances of this city councilor packing a firearm seems a bit odd, she's had to resort to this kind of protection. Just a few months ago she's had to pull her firearm on another criminal who snatched her chain.
Debbie Vasquez,
"The first time it happened to me I was walking back home. At that time I had fired several shots and people were saying I fired so many shots and missed. But what happened is the person that tried to snatch my chain; he got a little jump from me so when I did fire the shot I wasn't really shooting at him. I was shooting hoping that where he jumped and was hiding he would come out okay. So I never did really leave the spot where he did it and the police along with us apprehended him that same night and I recovered my chain and everything."
"They are getting too bold and too brazen. I mean it is 2in the afternoon. Apparently I guess maybe they were scouting the area and maybe figured no one was at my house or you know I don't really know."
But even if she does not really know why she's been attacked twice, she does know one thing: she's ready for them.
Debbie Vasquez,
"I have a licensed 380. I don't flash it around, I don't try to be anyway about it but if I need it and it comes to defending myself, my family, my property, then I will do what I got to do."
Alfonso Noble,
"As a woman are you glad that you are in possession of a licensed firearm?"
Debbie Vasquez,
"Well I wouldn't say that I am glad but I am just in one way kind of…I really shouldn't say happy but I am fortunate that they have given me a license so I could have this weapon to protect myself and my family.
Alfonso Noble,
"And on both occasions that you have used it - it was for good reason?"
Debbie Vasquez,
"Very good reason. Very good reason because the incident that happened yesterday I guess if I wanted to do more than what I did yesterday, I could have maybe killed him right there in my house."
But even so Vasquez has proven that measures can be taken and for her it's worked out twice.
Vasquez says there were three persons who broke into her house; one of them was a small boy. As for the one she caught, 19-year-old Frank Smith, police are presently guarding him at the KHMH pending His recovery. He is expected to be charged with burglary among other offences. Smith has a lengthy and colorful rap sheet and now Vasquez has another notch in her 380 pistol.
The last man she shot at, Eliot James on November 14th of last year is serving an 8-year term for snatching her chain.