Tonight the police department is morning after it lost one of its own in a cold blooded murder on Saturday night.
29 year old Dylan Anthony was off duty on Saturday night when a gunman apparently mixed him up for a criminal figure from Roaring Creek.
And that case of mistaken identity took his life. Jomarie Lanza headed out to Roaring Creek in search of answers this morning. Here's what she found out.
Following in his father's footsteps, 29 year old Dylan Anthony pursued his dream of becoming a police officer and joined the force a few years ago. He began his career with a transfer to Corozal town, only to be transferred back to Belmopan recently where he spent his last few weeks before he was callously murdered near the roundabout of the Roaring Creek Bridge on Saturday night. And now a mother is left to not only grieve the father of her child, but also raise their 6 year old son on her own.
Denise Gonzalez, Common law wife of deceased
"I called him in the morning but he didn't answer. He didn't answer because from Morning he was fooling with a Motorcycle he just bought all morning but I knew before the day done he would have called. But usually the call after 9 never did happened. When they called me after 9 it was to tell me that they already shot up him. That they suit him I said no not Dylan who would want to shot him up like that. Dylan doesn't bother a fly he doesn't bother a soul. He was one of the sweetest persons I know. He was always smiling always laughing always the give advice."
"Dylan is always laughing he is always taking and running jokes with his colleagues always the share I don't know if there is a police officer that finds fault in Dylan. That's just him. That's just home."
Reporter
"This senseless act we understand that it was a case of mistaken identity is that your understanding of what transpired?"
Denise Gonzalez, Common law wife of deceased
"Yes, because as I said Dylan doesn't fool with anyone so from I heard they shot him I said it wasn't him they wanted. It wasn't him."
"I'm still in shock, still in shock the family can't take it we can't take it. Now my baby left with no Daddy. He and his son were so close not a day goes by that he calls my baby not a day goes by that he doesn't call my baby. My baby still too young fi understand but he done the get it lee bit, but everything will be alright just have to put everything in Gods hands."
After 28 years in the service, and three kids who followed after, Anthony's father Herbert told us today that he never imagined he would lose his son this way,
Herbert Anthony, Father of Deceased
"I was in Lemonal when this happen you know and they called me and told told me and said Dylan just got shot and is it serious? They said yes it's serious because he died. Yeah and I immediately asked my brother Mark to bring me up quick and we went to hospital and I met my daughter and son and they were all crying and I wanted to go and see the body at that time but they told me I can't go in there you know cause it's a police thing and I told them that's my son and everyone knows me. And they said I can come in the morning and maybe then we can do something and that's what I did."
Anthony was enroute to his home in Roaring Creek the night he was killed. And now the question lingers as to who would want to harm this loving and down to earth person known by everyone.
Herbert Anthony, Father of Deceased
"He's a humble guy, cool man you know and no interfere with people when I does the talk foolish thing he would say Dad why don't you stop talk fool man cause I like talk foolishness. He said Dad you are big stop your fool. And the man gone for it he gone for the job and when the man passed out he said dad I love the job but that transfer, when they transferred him to Corozal he said he wanted to go in the unit where I was, but I told him boy sometimes people bad mind you in those jobs and they will send you places where they think you can't handle. And he gone and handle himself. Come back down and was working at Belmopan Police station yeah."
A big man with an ever bigger heart - and in a Facebook the police department said he served with honor and distinction in his duties to protect and serve the community. We might also add that he did so with good humor.
