- Police probe the murders of a mother and child
Police in Belize say they have detained one person after a woman and a child were shot and killed in broad day light on Tuesday at the Belmopan Market Day Plaza.
Assistant Commissioner of Police, Suzette Anderson, confirmed the deaths and a video posted on social media, which showed a woman lying on the ground motionless and a girl in the pan of a pickup truck. The video also showed a boy, bloodied, and screaming in pain from the bullet that hit him.
One eyewitness, speaking on television said the whole family was at the plaza eating ice cream when she heard the first shot being fired.
“I thought it was a pop shot or something like that you know celebrations is going on, one of those birthdays and thing but when I saw them scatter I said what is this I spun around and I saw that the guy came and he followed the lady down the line.
“The lady was running and he was shooting at her. And when he saw that the lady fell he ran through the middle of the place and followed the children… and shot them…
“The man threw the gun and then he said he taught them a lesson. I don’t know what lesson he was teaching but he was teaching everybody a lesson,” the witness said.
Anderson said “from the information we have gathered so far, the child who is deceased is an 11-year-old female child and the male child who is a victim who is still at the hospital being attended to is eight years of age and then the woman who is an adult and who seemingly is the mother of the two children
“From all accounts she is deceased as well so we have two persons who have died so far which is the mother of the child and the girl.”
She said indications are that the victims are from the Netherlands and had been living in Belize.
“So I can confirm that the shooter from the Social Security Card that we have observed about him it reflects him as a Haitian American. From all indications he was living in Belize and he seemed to be the owner of a resort which is within the Belmopan area,” the Assistant Commissioner of Police said.
“That person was subsequently detained by the police and also the firearm which was a 9mm pistol was retrieved from that person as well and he’s currently in our custody. At this point in time we are still trying to piece together what exactly transpired, what may have been the motive behind the shooting.”
Newly elected Mayor, Pablo Cawich, said it is “an unfortunate event,” adding “my heart goes out to the family”.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister John Briceño, has expressed condolences to the families of Stephanie Lindo and Oswald Garbutt, after the couple was found dead in their residence last Saturday.
Th woman was allegedly shot and killed by her husband Garbutt, the proprietor of Blue Steel Sounds. Garbutt then reportedly turned the gun on himself.
“My heart reached out…this terrible tragedy on Saturday with Stephani Lindo and her husband. Still at a loss. I know Bill Lindo very well and I know that he is hurting beyond words, he and his family. We reached out to both families. I still don’t know what really transpired. It is tragic.”
Mrs Lindo-Garbutt was employed as the City Administrator and the Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labour and Local Government in a statement posted on its website said “her absence will be deeply missed.
“Her indelible spirit left an imprint on those who met and knew her,” it added.
