The neighbors said it sounded like dynamite when a barrage of shots rang off on Wilson Street last night. Those outside their houses ducked for cover but when the smoke cleared, only 55-year-old Edward Saldano Sr, AKA Scrubboard, was lying on the pavement.
Saldano was riding his bicycle when a vehicle pulled up on him and, according to reports, two gunmen came out, each wielding a different handgun, and fired at him. They quickly escaped, but when police canvassed the scene, they found two phones one of which is speculated to belong to the assailant.
Saldano's family is hoping this clue will lead to a quick arrest for a man who they say did not deserve such a gruesome death. Courtney Menzies spoke with his sister and has this story:
55-year-old Edward Saldano Sr, otherwise known as Scrubboard, was supposed to be at the pierhead this morning, working a sugar ship at Port of Belize.
But last night around 8, after leaving the casino at the Ramada, Saldano was targeted. 17 gunshots later, his body lay motionless on Wilson Street. So far, the police know how it happened and have an idea of who did it.
ASP Fitzroy Yearwood - Communications Officer
"Initial investigations has revealed that he was riding on that street when he was approached by a dark colored SUV where the occupants exited and fired a barrage of bullets in his direction, causing his fatal injury. We know that we're looking for two persons known to the police and hopefully we can encourage persons that live on that very narrow street to share with the investigators what they may have seen occurred leading up to Mr Saldano's death."
And Saldano's sister said when she first heard the news, she couldn't believe it. And even after seeing him in the morgue, she still can't wrap her head around losing two brothers less than four year apart, especially since "Scurbboard" wasn't known to cause problems.
Voice of: Natalie Munoz - Sister of Deceased
"Man, I was devastated and shocked because he don't trouble anybody. He was a breadwinner for his families and his kids. All he do is gamble, mess around with these little girls, and that's the life he do. You know, he's not a troublesome person, so for me hearing that was a total shock. Everybody didn't expect this. How could you expect someone to just walk up to your family member and lay some shots on him for no reason. And we still in shock up to today, we're still in shock, I can't believe he is gone. Couple years I just lost a brother and now I'm losing another brother? It's just crazy. My brother into family, working, making his money, doing his recreation, gambling, that's about it."
And though Saldano's son, named after him, is currently on the run from police after he escaped from the Belize City Magistrate Court Cell last month while he was supposed to be on remand for armed robbery.
And while this may be a case of "catching Harry's shirt," ASP Yearwood said not to get the father and son mixed up as Saldano Sr was not a part of any street gangs.
ASP Fitzroy Yearwood
"I just want to make it very clear that Edward Saldano Sr and Edward Saldano Jr are two different persons and as much as I know about the father is that he was a hardworking person and that have been that way from, I can't remember how long, knowing him so many years. But what his son may have done in the streets could be elements but I still wouldn't want to lean towards that and I honestly believe someone just took advantage of Edward Saldano Sr."
And it was exactly this sort of tragedy that his sister tried to warn him about especially since he'd just receive a portion of the 1.5 million dollars that the government compensated the stevedores with.
Voice of: Natalie Munoz
"I called him on the phone and I said, brother be careful, you know it's lent, and you need to be careful, there's people out there watching you, you don't need to be staying. The last thing I told him is to be careful."
According to our archive, Saldano was in court last year for illegal gambling. His family explained that gambling was his only vice.
