Last week Saint John's College Junior College student Eder Alamilla was killed by a gunshot to his head. His family still says it was a homicide while police have all but closed the books on it as a suicide. Well whatever it is Eder's friends at school say his death is one too many. In fact it isn't the first and SJC students Souad Assaad and Marissa Longsworth say enough is enough. They have planned a candlelight vigil for tomorrow evening. The two activists told us why they decided to stand up and why you should too.
Souad Assaad, Vigil Organizer
"Eder was in a few of my classes and its just sad because last year we had a similar incident with Albert Hoy and he was in my class, he was in class with me from primary school, and all these boys were sweet innocent boys and they shouldn't be a part of this. And last month Leslie Rogers from the night school division was killed also and its hitting really hard home and it could be one of us next. We need to appeal to the public now, we need to take a stand now."
Marissa Longsworth, Vigil Organizer
"The more and more that violence happens, especially against youths, in this community it hits closer and closer to home. There are many who were friends and family to those that have died and we want to stop it before it becomes one of us. Its merciless and its unreasonable and we need it to stop now."
Souad Assaad,
"Everybody should come, everybody is being affected by this increase of crime. Its affecting our economy and also its not a political issue - it's a social issue. We as Belizeans need to take a stand and that is what this is for. We need to remember people that have passed. We will have posters with their names up. It has also affected me and that's why I am standing up. I like everybody to come out because I'm sure everybody has known someone who has been murdered, mugged, anything to that effect. All Belizeans should come to this thing. We are appealing that you come."
The vigil begins tomorrow evening at 6 pm in front of the MCC grounds. It will go down Newton Barracks towards the Fisheries Department and then onto Baymen Avenue into Cinderella Plaza onto Freetown Road and then ending at Saint John's College. You are asked to wear black or white and bring a candle. Again it begins at 6 pm.
7NEWS produced for broadcast by News Director Jules Vasquez
Edited for the internet by Keith Swift
