Turning now to crime news.
A gang rivalry in the city has police on high alert tonight - after two men were killed in a shootout on Saturday night.
But, it wasn't a double murder; this story comes with a twist - the alleged shooter who killed his target - was almost instantly shot - and died shortly after.
Initial reports indicated that the second victim had been shot by one of his associates, but the police are telling a different story. Courtney Menzies has this report.
A double murder in Southside Belize City has left two families grieving. The two victims shared some similarities: both were fathers of 6-year-old sons and both had families who had already known the pain of gun violence. Their differences, though, stemmed from being in rival gangs.
The first murder victim, Kareem Gillet, would have been celebrating his 33rd birthday on Thursday. He was spending his Saturday night at the corner of Allan Pitts Crescent and Caesar Ridge Road when things took a deadly turn. His cousin told us what he knew.
Voice of: Cousin of Deceased
"Saturday night, all of us was hanging out and have a good time and coming on to quarter to nine, round they time deh, me and he mih the - just look pan me and tell me tell ih nephew fi get ih phone fi ah and moments after, like splits second after, all yuh just hear dah gunshot and ih happen so fast, not even he expect dah that catch he and ih so traumatizing to the whole family, ih rough cause we just bury fi we cousin last year and ih not even make a whole year yet since he dead."
Gillett's brother, 29-year-old Alrick Carcamo, was killed in November of last year. His mother is distraught now that she has lost her only two sons. Gillett's family is still reeling from the shocking news of his death, since they described him as a loving person.
Voice of: Cousin of Deceased
"Any body weh know Kareem Gillett know he and know weh he capable ah do. Helping people, help out individual weh no got it, you could come dah that man right now, you no got a lee dalla, nothing, dah man wah give you that, shub that out to you, that dah the love weh my family mih got."
Seconds after Gillett was murdered, the alleged shooter - 23-year-old Tareek Smith - was gunned down. His family is left confused, especially his aunt, who said that she had spoken to her nephew only hours before she learnt of his death.
Voice of: Aunt of Deceased
"I mih just come home like after 10 when I got the call and they told me my nephew got shot so I call my sister and dah so we end up catch a taxi and we gone dah hospital but when we reach hospital they tell me that he done dead already and that they done take the body to the morgue."
"It was puzzling like it just left everybody ina wah daze. My chest the pain me, ih hard ih sad because then this dah the second family fi me weh dead by gun violence cause I had my child he died 2017, fi he cousin, from gun violence too and ih really sad."
"My nephew dah mih a very loving person, very loving, always di smile, ina all fi we family. Share, like share, anything weh ih have ih wah share with you, sometime ih run joke, dah a lot of good things about he."
So, what exactly happened that has left two families to mourn the deaths of their loved ones? Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, explained that Smith and his associates went to Gillett's house to execute him.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"A group of young men from the Jerusalem area, this would be the extension, had rented two vehicles from an auto rental in Belize City earlier in the day with the intention of carrying out some shootings within the southside area of Belize City. They went to Gillett's residence and pretended to be purchasing weed. When Gillett came out, he was fired upon and a person who was with Gillett returned fire causing Smith's fatal injuries. Now you would see that while we can treat the murder of - the killing of - Gillett as a murder, the subsequent shooting of Smith would have been classified more as a self-defense."
While the gun used to kill Smith was an illegal firearm, the ComPol clarified that the law makes provisions since the shooter was acting in self-defense. Police teams consisting of officers from specialized units have been organized to investigate this double murder and to prevent retaliation in the known gang areas.
Both victims have been before the court and are well known to police.
They were once known to be associates - but may have had a dispute over drugs.
Police expect that the killings could lead to retaliation.
This evening in Belize city - a well known figure was shot on Coney Drive. Reports say he was grazed in the head and was able to drive himself to the hospital for treatment.
And, at this hour there are reports of shots being heard in different gang territories on the southside.
