A security guard at Belize Water Services Limited was killed during an armed robbery this morning. But the news is that the thieves weren't after the water company's money. Police say that the men who robbed 28-year-old KBH security guard Fortunato Chun were after his gun, a 9-millimeter pistol. But they got Chun's gun…so why did they still shoot him in the neck? We tried to find out.
Keith Swift Reporting,
Like every other morning, this morning at 6:30 Fortunato Chun reported for duty here at the BWSL main office on Central American Boulevard where he is a security guard. But this morning wasn't a usual morning because police say Chun was attacked for his gun.
Supt. Chester Williams, C.I.B. Commander
"From our investigations, yes the motive was robbery and the robbery was for his firearm. He was carrying a firearm belonging to the security company and that was stolen from him. From what we can see, is that after the man was shot and the firearm was stolen, there were no other moves made by the assailant to do anything per say going into the building or whatever. He just shot the man, took the gun, and rode off."
CIB Chief Chester Williams says Chun was caught off guard and ambushed. Williams also believes that before riding off with Chun's 9-millimeter gun, the robber made sure of one thing: that he was dead.
Supt. Chester Williams,
"Probably, I must say, because of the fact that they saw that he had the firearm, they took no chance and took him out and took away the firearm."
Jules Vasquez,
So did they shoot him from a distance and then walk up to him and take the gun?
Supt. Chester Williams,
"Based on what I observed on the injuries on the deceased's neck, it is evident that the shooting was from very close range because the powder marks were quite visible around the wound."
A murder at point blank range which Chun's common-law wife of seven years Claudia Pop still can't reason. The last time she saw her husband alive was this morning at 6:15 when he left for work. About half an hour later she got the terrible news.
Claudia Pop, Wife of Deceased
"In the morning he went to work at WASA (BWSL) because I think it is at WASA he got shot but I don't know what happened. His brother came and told me. I didn't believe that. I told him it wasn't true and he was playing, because everyone likes to play and I didn't take it seriously that his brother had died but when I heard the hospital phoned me, they told me my boy is already dead; he was alive, he was dead. I can't tell you anymore because I don't know. I don't know what happened."
Pop told us she never felt comfortable with Chun's job as a security guard but he loved it and she loved him.
Keith Swift,
Did he love his job?
Claudia Pop,
"That is what he said. He said he loved it. I told him a long time ago to leave the job but he didn't want to leave it. He has been working there for a long time."
Meanwhile police say they are close to make an arrest.
Supt. Chester Williams,
"By tomorrow, once we find our suspect, we will be taking someone to court in relation to that particular incident."
And that perhaps is the only good news for Claudia Pop. She was preparing to her celebrate her daughter's sixth birthday on Sunday. But there'll be no party for Shamin - it'll be a funeral for Fortunato.
Chun's daughter's birthday is on Sunday. This is the second time this year that a security guard has been killed for his gun. On May 31st 62-year-old Anchor security guard Oliver Blanco was lured from his post at the Western Union office to his death, again for his gun.
