Today around noon, Police Minister John Saldivar got a first-hand feel for Belize City's deadly landscape - when he got caught just a few feet from the line of fire.
Saldivar - accompanied by talk show host Joe Bradley was getting a trim at Buck's Barber Shop on South Creek. Saldivar was reportedly in the barber's chair when a gunman on a bicycle rode past the barber shop - and as he did so, heopened fire on a man who was chasing him down the street.
No one was hurt and it had nothing to do with Saldivar and his crew - but like so many other Belizeans, they were at the wrong place, wrong time, caught a few feet from the line of fire.
Saldivar did have a police security and a driver with him - and we are told he left immediately, without even finishing his haircut. The minister could not be reached for comment.
The shooting was the result of a robbery, and the Gang Suppression Unit has recovered the firearm which they believe was used to in that robbery which occurred just before midday today.
According to the GSU, Tyrone Fitzgibbon met one of their teams at the corner of South Creek Street and Central American Boulevard. He reported that he was on Dolphin Street along with his sister-in-law, Shauna Allen, when an assailant took the opportunity to attack and rob them.
This unknown man grabbed Allen's cellular phone and jewelry, and he raced down Dolphin Street on bicycle. As a result, her Fitzgibbon set chase in a vehicle, and drove after him all the way on to South Creek Street.
When he got in front of the barber shop, the gunman pulled out a firearm and fired several shots at Fitzgibbon, but fortunately he missed.
The GSU team immediately began canvassing the area, and as a result, they searched of an abandon lot adjacent to the basketball court on North Creek Road.
This resulted in the discovery of a black Austria Brand Glock 9 mm pistol with the serial number removed. The firearm was loaded with 6 live rounds of ammunition. They also recovered separate live round of 9 mm ammunition. This assailant is still at large.
When 7news went on the scene this afternoon - we found an expended nine millimeter shell.
