In August of 2003 he was one of three men charged for shooting at then Chief Magistrate Herbert Lord. But last night Steven James was the one who was shot. In fact the 29 year old was shot dead as he rode his bicycle on Vernon Street around 9:30. Our news team was the first on the scene last night and Keith Swift has the story.
Keith Swift Reporting,
We first met Steve James – known to friends as Otto - in august 2005. Back then he was a man with a plan.
[August 26th 2005]
Steve James, Deceased
“Most of the youths come out of school today day and don’t know to read and write so our plan of action is for us to go down there for two weeks and form a program where we can teach ten youths per day.”
But last night when we saw Steve - the 29 year old wasn’t speaking at all. His gunshot riddled body lay motionless in a pool of blood on the Vernon Street bike path next to his beach cruiser.
Steve James lives in King’s Park but he was killed here on Vernon Street. The official police report says that around 9:30 last night James was riding his beach cruiser bike here on Vernon Street when reaching near the corner of Mopan and Vernon Street – a gunman on foot approached him and opened fire.
Neighbours say they heard as many as five gunshots. And just before those gunshots rang out – Steve James had purchased cigarettes from Pio Pio Store on Vernon Street.
Jun Yong Zhao, Sold Steve James Cigarettes
“About ten minutes 9 a guy came and buy dollar Colonial so I sold him.”
Keith Swift,
That was the guy who was shot?
Jun Yong Zhao,
“Yes he got shot.”
Steve was shot once to the chest, twice to the arm, and once in the back. He was pronounced dead on the scene. His girlfriend – who spoke to us off camera - says the last time she saw Steve was at 9 on Wednesday morning.
Steve’s Girlfriend,
“Yesterday morning about 9 I left him home while going to work. He normally does go out hangs out and then come back at night.”
Keith Swift,
Were you worried when he didn’t come home last night?
Steve’s Girlfriend,
“No because he normally comes in around 11 or 12 and I got a call about ten that my boyfriend was shot and I came over here. I still didn’t believe it until I just went and saw him at the house because he just hangs out, he grew up with those boys.”
Keith Swift,
Where was he shot?
Steve’s Girlfriend,
“I did not go up that close to check the body to see what were his injuries. All I saw was blood.”
Steve James had no steady job but he did odd jobs. His aunt Lorna Garnett – who also spoke to us off camera - says her nephew was kind.
Lorna Garnett, Aunt
“He is a kind person. He would give away his last and thing like that and he is always there for people and so. People would ask him to do any kind of work and thing and he would do it without even having to collect.”
A kind guy and so what could have been the motive? Douglas Hyde suspects it was an old beef.
Douglas Hyde, Mentored Steve James
“I don’t have all the information but one thing I know and I have received so far is that it was an old beef, something from the past and
I guess the issue has basically come up on him now. I know Steve in so many ways has been avoiding certain areas, avoiding persons, but I guess he was at the wrong place at the wrong time, that is my understanding.”
Steve’s Girlfriend,
“When somebody changes their life, they are around trying to get their job, he had skills to do plumbing, that is what he was after. He had a plan.”
But that plan fell apart yesterday and for Douglas Hyde who worked with Steve the loss is personal.
Douglas Hyde,
“Any murder in the street of Belize gets an emotional response from myself, even more when I know them personally and I have worked with them. He was a youth who had his times and his history but he was a youth who wanted to change his life and become somebody positive and somebody who wanted to do something positive with his life.”
Keith Swift,
He wanted to do it but was he doing it?
Douglas Hyde,
“In so many ways it was still challenging because although he went through training and although he participated in other activities, the process of changing life was right back in the streets after he received these trainings and stuff so he was right back on the block and right back to that challenging lifestyle and that became and everyday challenge for himself.”
And Hyde says that is perhaps the biggest challenge facing ghetto youths like Steve James who try to change their lives but just can’t seem to escape their past.
Douglas Hyde,
“We need to look on the other side of things for these young men to try to take them out of that community or that atmosphere that is more challenging for them and to see what more we can do for them. It is not just the training or not just the session that they participate in but it is what happens to them after that session and what more can we do for them in helping their lives to change and to be more productive citizens.”
And the demise of Steve James is proof that the answer to that question is literally a matter of life or death.
And in case you didn’t know, Steve James was gunned down about 20 feet from the police booth on Vernon Street. We are told Police and BDF assigned to the booth were in the area. As for the investigation, police have a teenager detained and are searching for a second suspect who they believe is the gunman.
A post mortem on Steve James will be conducted tomorrow. The charges against James for shooting at Chief Magistrate Lord never went to trial. We couldn’t confirm if he has indeed stayed out of jail since his release from remand for the lord shooting.
