The second murder that occurred this weekend left one man dead and another injured.
It happened some time after 6:00 on Sunday night when 23-year old Maleik Acosta was shot while driving his vehicle - the same vehicle that would knock down 59-year-old George Lewis.
Acosta tried his best to get himself to the hospital, but would only make it to Douglas Jones Street where police found him dead inside his car. Courtney Menzies has the story.
The sequence of tragic events that led to 23-year-old Maleik Acosta's undoing, started when he left home on West Street reportedly to buy some food. He didn't get far though; he would end up meeting his killer at the corner of West and Water Lane.
Supt. Alejandro Cowo, Head CIB Belize City
"He was driving a red in color SUV type vehicle on West Street and when approaching almost at the junction with Water Lane a male person who was on the street side fired several shots in his direction, injuring him. He managed to drive but whilst trying to avoid being fired, he knocked down a male person who was walking on the street and then after he drove onto Vernon Street where he collided into a vehicle that was parked in front of New Asia restaurant. He continued driving then onto Youth for the Future Drive, over the bridge and on Douglas Jones, he collided into L&F Chinese Fast food and that is where the vehicle came to a stop."
According to Superintendent Alejandro Cowo, he was trying to drive himself to the hospital but lost control of the vehicle.
The man he knocked down in that desperate rush, 59-year-old George Lewis, is currently hospitalized in a stable condition. His sister told us off camera that Lewis was walking on the street when he heard the gunshots and, before he knew it, he had been hit by the vehicle.
But what could have motivated Acosta's murder? Well, police believe it was gang related.
Supt. Alejandro Cowo, Head CIB Belize City
"We know that he has an association with one of the gangs within that area and where he was driving was a different affiliation so I believe that again those persons that were there saw the opportunity and they carried out the hit."
"I believe they had saw him when he was driving on West Street and they waited for him when he reach at the junction with Water Lane."
Acosta's murder is the 100th that Belize has seen for this year. Another sad statistic, but also the loss of a valued life.
Police are currently looking for two suspects.
