A young father-to-be was gunned down in the city today. But unlike most murders Leonard Arnold wasn't killed in the dead of night or even in the evening, the 20-year-old was shot from behind by a masked gunman in the middle of this morning within earshot of downtown Belize City on Far West Street between King and Prince streets. 7NEWS was first on the scene and Keith Swift reports on this latest killing which the victim and family said he saw coming but not like this.
Keith Swift Reporting,
In broad daylight, shortly after 10 this morning, 20-year-old Leonard Arnold was ruthlessly executed with a single gunshot to his head as he sat in this backyard on West Street. Our 7NEWS team was first on the scene just minutes after the gunshot with Leonard's slain body still on the spot. And as police swarmed the crime scene only our cameras captured the emotions as those who knew Leonard rushed to the scene after hearing the that news he was murdered.
[Audio and Video of Leonard's Stepmother and sister on the scene identifying body.]
The single and fatal shot that ended Leonard's young life was heard at around 10:15. Winfield Vernon who was next door in a soup kitchen heard the noise, but thought it was more like a pop-shot.
Winfield Vernon, Heard Gunshot
"I didn't see nothing. I heard one shot but I got so excited I couldn't get out of the chair to see what it was and then I finally got up and saw someone on the ground. That is all I saw. I didn't see who did it."
KS: So did you think it was a gunshot when you heard it?
Winfield Vernon,
"Well I thought it was a pop-shot because usually they bust pop-shot for Christmas. I thought it was a pop- shot."
KS: So you heard one shot?
Winfield Vernon,
"One gunshot, one. Nothing else, just one."
That one shot was equally surreal for this ear-witness who wished to remain anonymous. Leonard was in her backyard with her boyfriend patching the tire on his bike when he was murdered.
Witness,
"He was patching his bike because we fix bike. We fix bikes and we patch bikes here, my boy does that. When I heard my baby wake up I went inside and then I bathe him and everything. When I finished bathing him, they were still fixing the bike out there. And when I sat down to feed my baby I heard the noise and thought it was a tire that burst because maybe they pumped it too hard but then my boy ran inside and said that they shot Leonard in his head."
KS: Did he act strange this morning like he was in trouble or if someone was hunting him?
Witness,
"Everytime he comes here he is afraid. Everytime he comes down this side he is afraid but he comes just because he wants to visit my boyfriend who is friend and that is why he comes here."
KS:_And you never expected something like this to happen?
Witness,
"I expected it but not like this, big day."
Leonard's adopted mother Salomie Jimenez also didn't see it coming - at least not today. Leonard slept at her house last night and this morning he went to fix his bike. Sadly that was the last time she saw him alive.
Salomie Jimenez, Victim's Stepmother
"He got up, he bathe, drink tea, went to my room and put on his roll-on and perfume and told me 'mommy I am coming back.' He said 'I am going by beans to patch my bike.' I told him okay baby just come back because I want to you go to the market for me and he said 'yes mom.'"
He of course never made it back. Salomie Jimenez admits her stepson's murder wasn't all that unexpected. In fact two previous attempts had been made on his life and just last week he again received threats.
Salomie Jimenez,
"A week ago he told me right here that they are threatening and following him and they told him that he won't live to see Christmas. I asked him who and he said 'mommy don't worry.'"
Compounding this tragedy is that yes another young male was ruthlessly gunned down in the light of day. But what makes it worse is that Leonard not only left grieving family members but also an unborn child.
Salomie Jimenez,
"He said ' you are all the time telling me when will you be granny' well he said 'mommy my girlfriend is pregnant.' I told him I feel so happy that finally I will get a grandbaby from him."
"Whosoever do it, all I say is that God will give justice. I don't know who did it, I didn't see but they are done with my life. They take away the child I didn't bring to this world but I love him with all all my heart, with all my heart I love him."
And as this family tries to pick up the emotional pieces of their son whose last ride was as a corpse on the back of a police pickup exposed for all to see - the police are working on solving the murder. That process began when they swept up suspects in the West and George street area, outraging family members and agitating an already grieving neighborhood.
As mentioned, Arnold had been shot twice previously, once in his neck and on another occasion on his leg. Police have identified a suspect but have not detained that person yet. Anyone with information is asked to call the toll free crime stoppers hotline at 922 where a cash reward is offered for information that leads to an arrest.