A murder brought days of festive Bramming to a deadly end in Gales Point Manatee on Boxing Day. Police say the Bram was more like a brawl, leaving 36-year-old Winfield Slusher Jr. dead, Police Constable Keith Cruz injured, and the gunman on the run.
Villagers were celebrating a Creole Bram called "the sambai" around a bonfire near the entrance of the village. Ione Slusher says the celebration became a confrontation after two villagers exchanged words. Words turned into blows and the blows were later exchanged for pint bottles and firewood from the bonfire. That crowd was eventually dispersed but about 2 hours later one of the men returned with a gun and opened fire. Ione Slusher who received a bruised eye in the ensuing mêlée, watched as her older brother was gunned down. Tonight with a murderer on the loose, a scared Ione says she and her 5 kids had to flee to Belize City.
Ione Slusher, Sister of Deceased
"He said we thought he wouldn't have come back and by that time the police had already gotten shot in his leg, the one who was stationed at Gales Point. He asked if we thought he wouldn't have come back and so he ran and fired two shots. He fired a first shot which caught my brother in his back. When my brother dropped he went and shot him again. Last night the man who did this murder to my brother went into my house and he said he will not stop until the next two persons are dead. We are asking if they could please send more police down there to try and help the family.
It was just a simple argument caused this death. The most important part is that we need police to go down to Gales Point immediately because the house which my family lives in is not the good. The man went in there and shot two rounds in my mom's house and so many children were in there. I just came up with my five kids because he told us to leave the village immediately. It is urgent for the police to reach down there. This is a serious business but the police are taking it lightly."
Keith Swift,
You are afraid to go home?
Ione Slusher,
"Dah run I di run. I can't go home because the man stomped open our door and went in our house so I can't go home. Dah run I di run."
Slusher was hit in his head and his side and Constable Cruz was shot in his upper right thigh. Constable Cruz has since been treated and released from the hospital while Slusher's body is at the Dangriga morgue awaiting a post mortem. A funeral will be held when the family feels it is safe enough to return to Gales Point. Police Press Officer G. Michael Reid says that a replacement officer should have already been sent to replace Cruz while he recovers. He adds that police have detained some suspects but they are still hunting for the shooter.
