The lives of five children have been cut short by gun violence in the last two months, and a sixth one clings to his own life. And before that, other minors have been made innocent victims to indiscriminate bullets. And while their families mourn them, the country remembers their names: Laddie, Jamir, Kwame, Sherane, and too many more. Tonight, Courtney Menzies takes a look back at the young lives lost too soon in the war with gun violence:
A 9-year-old boy starting standard three, a 15-year-old third former, a 17-year-old studying to be a judge these are only some of the minors whose dreams were shot down by gun violence in the past month. Most of their short lives ended far too soon, leaving families with too few memories.
For 9-year-old Jamir Mckoy, the youngest murder victim this year, his father expressed the feeling of a missing piece in his family's puzzle.
Jamil Mckoy, Father of Deceased
"It's a big hole in my family, really really gonna miss my son Biggie because he was a bright child, very friendly, respectful, mannerly, so it really put a big tear in my family, and especially me because he is the one that mostly take the reflection of me, as you can see he almost favor me, it's like a hole in my heart."
And like little Jamir, 15-year-old Kassman Gill was not affiliated with any gangs they were victims of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. And both were only a stone's throw from their homes. But while Kassman survived the bullets, he may lose his ability to walk.
Cecil Gill, Father
"He has spinal injuries and the doctor say if he survive, he won't be able to walk. We have to deal with that for the rest of his life and our life. This is what they put us in, these cowards. This is what they put us in."
Kassman aspired to be a lawyer, and he may still have that chance. But for the judge-to-be, 17-year-old Sherane Cardenas, her chance died on August 28th when her mother's common-law husband shot her in her sleep. And like Kassman and Jamir, she was also preparing for school. Sherane was bookworm according to her family, and her mother who was also fatally shot that night would spoil her for getting good grade.
Tanesha Young, Sister of Deceased
"She's smart, big summer and she would be studying. She was right, her books were there, her laptop, her TV was there, watch the TV, in her work, studying. She always studying because her ma loves A's. And anything she want, if want a phone that costs 3 grand or this cost 5 grand, [her mother] will buy it because she loves A's."
And like Sherane, two other innocent teenagers were killed this year. The first was 14-year-old Laddie Gillett, who was gunned down on a beach in Placencia by a police officer. The incident elicited outrage from the public, who demanded a murder charge for the trigger-happy cop. But he got manslaughter, and Laddie got his chances of a future taken away from him in a place he had considered a paradise.
Emil Bradley, Guardian of Deceased
"If the security would have noticed he would have saw them sitting on the beach for a while now, not this trip but other trips, he's always jogging on the beach, he knows the area well, he feels safe. This is where we go to relax in Placencia but they way the dealt with it is so unprofessional, it makes it wonder if they have any empathy for a human being."
Another 14-year-old who was innocently gunned down minutes before curfew was Kwame Williams. He was on his way to his grandfather's house when a gunman who couldn't find his original target shot at him. Kwame was musician Ras Indio's son, and while he loved music, his mother said he also loved making people happy.
Zalile Williams, Mother
"What I love and remember about him, he could tell a good joke, and make you laugh till you want cry and your belly hurt. So that is one of the things I will remember about him, and he loved singing."
Kwame had no gang affiliation, but that's not what the police said about 16-year-old Shamar Nicholas. Like Laddie, Shamar was killed by a cop. But their account is that Shamar had just murdered someone else and was running from the police. His family didn't believe that narrative and said that the police should have wounded - not killed him.
Voice of: Zelma Baizar Nicholas, Mother
"Yes sometimes the boys are doing fool but they have to remember they're not animal. And if you're doing your job and you meet up to the bad guys, give them a warning shot or something, or shot them in their foot, when they drop you handcuff them, deal with them and charge them for whatever they gone do."
But while these are the minors who lost their lives this year, children have long been the victims of indiscriminate shootings. Last year, 5-year-olds were killed in March, only days apart. Dominique Rhamdas' family was targeted when a gunman opened fire through their bedroom window. His parents died first, and he â š¬" who was shot four times â š¬" died later. His little sister was also shot but survived. Still, his grandmother expressed her pain at losing her daughter and her grandson.
Jennifer Andrews - Dominique Rhamdas' Grandmother
"We are so heartbroken because at least we wanted - Shakira already died and so we really wanted Dominique to make it you understand but we are so torn up, our family is torn up."
And the other 5-year-old was Kia Herbert. She had been sleeping on the floor with her mother after her uncle was threatened with a gun earlier in the day. The family was afraid the gunman would get them in their beds, so they relocated, but that didn't help and little Kia was killed.
Desiree Herbert - Kia's Grandmother
"My little granddaughter lifted up one hand and she screamed and said "mommy, mommy." those were the last two words she said and then she died in my daughter's hands. It was the worst experience ever."
And another child whose murder will never be forgotten is 7-year-old Tyler Savery. Tyler just wanted a milkshake, and was on his way with his cousin when they were both shot at. The little boy was shot in the chest, which meant the gunman saw him and still fired at him. And that's what his mother, Shakera Young told us back in 2016. She has since become an advocate against gun violence, but the day she got the news is one she'll never forget.
Shakera Young - Mother of Tyler Savery
"Me going into this hospital knowing my son got shot, I said maybe it's just something in the leg or arm, something that maybe he could recover from. When she looked at me and said ma'am I am sorry but we did all we could and your son didn't make it. The feeling that shook my body made me fall to the ground because my son is my life, he was and he still is my life."
And while these victims are all minors, there are plenty of other mothers who are grieving their own children lost to the endless hurricane of bullets. Like the mother of 18-year-old Lloyd Myvette, who was shot with Jamir. His mother made a plea to the gunmen responsible for the murders.
Roberta "Ms Nancy" Myvett, Mother of Deceased
"Please I'm pleading with all the young men over Belize, please stop the senseless killing feel the pain that a mother goes through because it's a mother that brought you here too and when you take away a mother's son, it's very hard."
And the shooting of Kassman Gill was the straw that broke the camel's back, leading the Minister of Home Affairs to resort to a state of emergency for certain southside areas.
