There was another broad daylight shooting in Belize City today – and the only good news is that no one was killed. It occurred this afternoon on West Collet Canal when armed men shot a bus conductor during a robbery attempt. The 7NEWS team was on the scene shortly after and Keith Swift has the story.
Keith Swift Reporting,
This is the food bus conductor Andy Lopez was eating – and this is his blood on the seat he was sitting on when he was shot this afternoon.
Lopez was inside this Tillett’s bus – parked on West Collet Canal, in front of MJ’s Grand. Yadir Perez who is the bus driver says he was sitting inside with two conductors eating lunch when armed thugs invaded the bus and demanded money.
Yadir Perez, Bus Driver
“We were eating and this guy came, three of them. Two of them had guns. I stood up to fight but I saw Andy stand up to give the purse and then I saw them shot Andy. I saw it was a real gun.”
Keith Swift,
What happened with you personally?
Yadir Perez,
“They pointed the gun at me. I had no bag, I am the driver – not the conductor so I had nothing to give them. My friend was taking off the purse to give him and then he shot him. The conductor stood up to take the purse off but he took long.”
And that’s why he was shot – because he took too long to unbuckle his waist bag. Myra Cocom saw the entire shooting unfold from a nearby bus she was sitting in.
Myra Cocom, Witness
“The guys were eating so they had the money around their waist. So the guys just went and robbed them and they went but they shot Andy by his side.”
Keith Swift,
So was there a struggle for the bag?
Myra Cocom,
“For Andy’s money I think they wanted him to take it off fast but he couldn’t because he had it around his waist so they shot him and they took the money. I didn’t expect something like this to happen by this street because normally a lot of people pass right here and I don’t know what happened this time and I am just afraid of coming now to Belize.”
Keith Swift,
Yeah you still seem a bit shaken up.
Myra Cocom,
“Yes I was because he is my friend and I am just afraid of what I saw. I saw everything and I don’t know how to describe what I feel like.”
And while Myra is in shock, the drivers and conductors who have to park on the canal side daily are concerned. That includes the owner of Tillett’s Bus Company – Amelio Tillett.
Amelio Tillett, Owner – Tillett’s Bus Service
“It is a little bit of money that the conductor had, that is a little bit for him to lose his life and they shouldn’t shoot a man for just a little amount of money. That could happen elsewhere so I feel bad about it, yes.”
Yadir Perez,
“Yes I feel afraid to park again in this area but that is my job. I have to respect the job.”
Keith Swift,
What are you telling your employees?
Amelio Tillett,
“Well right now what I told them is to hang together and if they are going to buy food – let one go buy food and bring it for all of them to eat together so they don’t split up. What we need here is more safety for the drivers and conductors, at least so that we could find a little special place to park so all of them are together so we can have a crowd in the parking lot, a security in the parking lot. That is what we need here in Belize.”
Andy Lopez was rushed to the KHMH. His injury is not considered life threatening.
Amelio Tillett, the owner of Tillet’s bus says the most money the bus conductor might have had on him was two to three hundred dollars. The men however didn’t get the Lopez’s money bag but they did snatch one from another conductor.
