Two DJs were targeted in a shooting last night around 7:30 in Corozal. When the smoke cleared, 36 year old Roger Escalante was dead and 25 year old Ezer Alcoser was injured. The motive? Well, according to police one of the victims was involved in a recent drug investigation. Courtney Menzies has this story.
A shooting last night has left 36 year old Roger Escalante dead and 25 year old Ezer Alcoser injured. The incident occurred at Alcoser's residence in the Halls Layout area. According to police, they don't know whether both DJs were the intended targets, but added that one of them was a person of interest.
ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer
"What the investigation has thus far disclosed is that Escalante and another male person had arrived at the residence on Flamboyant Street and shortly thereafter they were approached by an SUV and an armed male person exited that SUV who fired several shots resulting in the demise of Escalante and the injury of Alcoser. Mr Alcoser is listed in a stable condition."
"We don't know if they were the intended targets, I won't go on record saying that however as I stated they were persons of interests in relation to an investigation pertaining to drugs, one person, Mr Escalante was a person of interest in relation to an investigation pertaining to drugs and we are suspecting that may be the motive in this incident."
And today Escalante's father explained that his son was always working and his family is devastated by this loss.
Edilberto Escalante, Father of Deceased
"That was like a shock for me. I was sitting in my house when I received a phone call by his cousin then he told me you know don't get scared because your son has been shot. So we came into town because we live in Consejo Village so we immediately made a run into town and it was true. He was shot dead at College Road at Mr Alcoser residence."
Reporter:
"He was working?"
Edilberto Escalante, Father of Deceased
"Yeah he was unloading some music equipment."
"I didn't see anything, he was always, most of the time in the morning he is at home and in the afternoon he moves forward doing his things because he takes tours to out in the sea and he also does the DJ. We have a business of selling boats and things like that. So sometimes I go to work, when I get back he is not there, I ask his mom did he tell you where he went? She said no. he's always busy doing something but it's a pain. It really hurts. But we can't do better, God knows better."
"He was always with us, we live together, he is my neighbor, he lives next door to me so I can't say anything, always bringing something for us and we live very good with him. But this loss, it's terrible."
In Alcoser's case, Corozal Bay Area rep Thea Garcia Ramirez explained that he was very involved in helping his community.
Thea Garcia Ramirez, Area Rep, Corozal Bay
"I know Ezer to be a very friendly young fellow. He was previously employed at the SSB on a contract basis. He's very active in his community, as a matter of fact he lives in front of the Rolando Alcoser Park and maybe not a week or two ago, he was out helping us at the park to fix the lights and the rims and the backboards so he's very involved in his community. He used to come over and help all the time when we put in the sporting equipment that came through the Ministry of Health and Wellness, he helped us at the park to put those in so he's very active in the community groups and the outreach that we do."
Escalante leaves behind one child and another on the way.
