A stabbing incident claimed the life of 29 year old Private Raheed Flowers - hours after he had marched for Heroes and Benefactors day along with his fellow soldiers as part of the BDF Band.
Today we gathered more details on what his life was like in the service as a soldier and a trombone player. Jomarie Lanza has this story.
Private Raheed Flowers had just solidified his career as a soldier and a member of the Belize Defense force marching band a week ago, having served 8 years within the force. But all those dreams and ambitions of his were lost to a fatal stabbing last night, while socializing near the home of a relative.
ACP Hilberto Romero, HNCIB
"On Monday police responded to the report of a stabbing at Gladden street in Belize City. Upon their arrival they received information that a male person had been stabbed. He was identified as Raheed Flowers, a BDF soldier. Information is that Flowers was at a yard at Gladden street when there was a fight and a male person inflicted stab wounds to him. He was taken for treatment where he succumbed to his injuries. We are looking for one suspect in regards to this stabbing incident."
Jo-
"Would you be able to say if alcohol may have been a factor in this stabbing?"
ACP Hilberto Romero, HNCIB
"Yes information is that they had been drinking. The area is being this morning to see if we can get any video footage in the area."
His band leader spoke very positively about his former trombone player and his musical ability:
Major Kevin Campbell, Director of Music, BDF
"Like any other young Belizean today, uncertain and really do I want to wear the uniform because the motto of the present Belize Defence Band is military attitude and musical skill. So to couple the 2 of them right now is the hardest thing to do, we struggle with people understanding that it is more than a marching band. Often you will hear narrators and emcees and directors of ceremonies just referring to the BDF marching band it is much more than that when you have to put on your uniform you don your uniform and you conform to military discipline. That comes first and foremost and then you pick up your instrument and play. He was able to say that I want to do that and he did it."
"And so over that time he evolved and he also used to play with the Imperial Band, that is a civilian band too where he owned the skills and what I remember most about him from the time I met him until now he had that power to recall, you pick up YouTube and you look at musicians playing in our military band and you see them looking at the music. He would just look at the music and he could recall that and I admired that about him."
But aside from his commitment to serving his country and playing in the band, before all else Campbell says there was nothing Private Flowers loved more than being a father to his 3 boys.
Reporter
"What is one thing that you will remember about him?"
Major Kevin Campbell, Director of Music, BDF
"The way he insisted that he was a father. And that is the part and he made sure to emphasize I want to take care of my sons sir and he stressed on that and looking back on some of the pictures it was the care that he had for that child and his children. Also the memory of the way he interacted with his colleagues because it was just yesterday morning he was in uniform serving his country. We did the heroes and benefactors day, little did we all know that would be the last time that we would see him. So definitely those are going to be the memories that will stay with me. His service to his country, the way he donned his uniform and was determined to carry out his duties."
"One would characterize him as being very Belizean balanced in that he enjoyed life indeed and at the same time I continue to say he was able to put on back the uniform when duty called, which was regularly because again on Saturday we had duties in Ladyville, performed it well and that is the way I would reflect on him."
"So it is indeed a great loss and he was the only one in that particular section, we only had one trombone player. So definitely it hurts it hits hard."
Private Flowers is expected to receive a military funeral
No arrests have been made - but police do have suspects.
