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Yesterday, a man was killed early in the day in Ladyville, and today, there was another daylight murder, this time in Belize City. 19-year-old Shamar Cabral lives in Independence, but often comes to the city to see his friends.
And while he was on his way to the bank today, he was attacked and killed on Balan Street. But who would want to kill a teenager from the south, and why? That's what the police are trying to figure out.
Courtney Menzies has this story.
The quiet, Belize city afternoon was shattered after gunshots rang out on Balan Street, taking the life of a 19 year old who was a long way from home. Shamar Cabral comes from the southern village of Independence. But he journeyed to the city to pay a visit to some close friends.
But while he was running some errands, four men reportedly ganged up on him in an effort to steal his motorcycle, fearing for his life, Cabral surrendered. But that didn't stop the gunman from firing a single fatal shot.
Now, this ruthless murder of a teenager has left his friends in a grief spiral, especially since, according to one of them, he came to the city as a belated birthday.
Judith Estel, Friend of Deceased
"That is why he came down here. He came down here to come see me because my birthday just gone April 18th. He told me, He wanted me to go to Mango Creek to see him so we could spend it together. I told him I wouldn't make it up there? He said when he got through he would come down here so we could spend it together. So he came down this morning. As he come down this morning he called my mom. My mom called me and told me she was by herself and to come by her. Because he wanted us to chill hours because he said we would when he came down."
"I was getting ready and when I got ready I was calling him so he can come for me now so we could go to my mom. But, when I was calling him, my mom's sister said that told the he was going out and would come back he's going to the bank first then will go for me. But when I was calling him to come for me, he wasn't answering so I called "Timmo" and when I called him. not knowing while I was calling him, he's already there on the ground. Then when I called "Timmo" Then they showed me him down on the ground."
Reporter:
"So you think it might have been a robbery."
Judith Estel, Friend of Deceased
"I have no idea because Shamar doesn't have any problem with anybody down here. So I don't know. And I don't know what to say [crying]."
And while she has no idea why someone would target her friend, the police have confirmed that the motive was robbery and now they're on a hunt for suspects. Senior Superintendent Reymundo Reyes told us preliminary details.
Sr. Supt. Reymundo Reyes, Deputy Comm, Operaions, ED
"Shortly after 1:30 p.m., information received of shots fired on Balan Street. So as a result, police visited the scene where we came across the motionless body of a male person lying on the ground with what appears to be head injuries. Motive appears to be a robbery. All right. So but the investigation is pretty young. We have obtained certain information in which police is working with at this moment. And then later on, the media would be further briefed as to what we obtain from the information that we gathered."
Reporter:
"Okay. I see that a bicycle was put into the police vehicle. Is that for evidence purposes?"
Sr. Supt. Reymundo Reyes, Deputy Comm, Operaions, ED
"The bicycle was found here on the scene. We know who it belongs to, so the police just keep it. And we have the person in custody as we speak for interview. "
And police also found one expended shell and one live round on the scene along with a knife that one of the men attempted to stab Cabral with. Police were also able to get surveillance footage from a nearby camera.
