Amidst all the chaos of the impending civil strife, a young man was murdered last night in Belize City. 24-year-old Marlon Salazar was gunned down just yards from his home on Gill Street. 7NEWS retraced Salazar's last steps today and Keith Swift went to the scene to fill in the blanks.
Desiree Cain, Victim's Girlfriend
"Me and Marlon watched 6:30 news. He said he was hungry and I made his tortilla for him and we watched the news. As the news was finished Marlon came out of the house and just told me 'Des I am coming right back.' I don't where he went or if he went to meet anyone."
Keith Swift,
When did you hear something happened to him?
Desiree Cain,
"As Marlon came out of the house, after a little while, I heard three 3 shots but I didn't realize or thought it was him."
Derek Kelly, Witness
"I heard bawling for help 'help me I get shot, help me I get shot.' I came out of my gate and asked the man where he was. He called me, because he recognized me my voice, and told me where he was. I told him Tony was coming and I went to holler for a taxi. Me, Tony, and somebody else carried him over there and put him in the taxi. I then went on Gill Street and told everybody what went on."
"He was talking to me and Tony right here, Tony can clarify that, and then over there when we put him in the taxi he was still talking to me and the young man."
Alfonso Noble,
Did you ask him who shot him?
Derek Kelly,
"No I did not ask him that. I left the next guy with him and I came to try and get help."
Keith Swift,
What was he saying apart from begging for help?
Derek Kelly,
"He was just giving me a phone number to call somebody for him but I told him not to worry with that right now because the important thing is to try and get to the hospital. When Tony came he also told him to just humble himself."
"I don't even know the guy's real name. I just know him as 'Toma.' But as I said, I have no problem with him and I don't know anyone around here that he has problems with. He is just a normal guy who keeps to himself. He just go and smoke his weed back home and he is someone who starts trouble with people who goes and shoots after people as far as I know. I don't know what could motivate that, only he can tell you. But I just wanted to clear myself because they said that I saw the shooter. I don't know who shoot nobody. I heard the gunshots and I ran. I came out after the gunshots and I saw the man down here, that's all I can say. I can't say I saw something I didn't see."
Police are investigating and are still looking for a motive. Anyone with information is asked to call the 922 crime stoppers hotline.
