A man was killed last night in Belize City - and while that headline is nothing new in this town - last night's circumstances were different. First, the victim is a 44 year old, and second it happened on the Northside in the residential area of Buttonwood Bay. But the other elements are familiar enough: threats, gun play, and then a ride - by with bullets that found the wrong target. I found out more:
Glenford Vernon had a simple evening routine. He'd leave work at Brodies and walk home to Independence Avenue in Buttonwood Bay, stopping occasionally to unwind and hang out in his friend Richard Alvarez's yard on Dolphin Drive.
But last night, that everyday routine turned deadly because Vernon was unaware of what had taken place just before he arrived.
Ricardo Alvarez, Friend of the deceased
"The CIB according to what I understand and what I'm getting now is that they were looking for my brother that usually hangs out at Seashore that usually does his hustling out there but he was sent to the shop up there to buy something but apparently the guy had to swerve from Mr. Yoni fence in order to avoid hitting him and then they came back and they told them that they want to see my little brother. He wasn't here and then you had two guys who were sitting here. Well, you know they exchanged words and whatnot, and the guy in the pickup had a 38 they said, he hauled out a .38 and so the next guy that was here that had his car there he hauled out his .9mm too."
"So, apparently the guy saw that and they sped off and later on they came back. When they came back Mr. Vernon was sitting there and he couldn't escape."
Vernon's mother declined to speak today but off camera she told our news team that her son's bad leg likely kept him from dodging the bullet.
Vernon was shot to the rib cage and rushed to the hospital where was listed as critical. But, early this morning his condition took a turn for the worse:
Ricardo Alvarez, Friend of the deceased
"The police informed us that he was going to be alright but this morning his little brother came and told me that he passed away last night in the operating room but you know he is a cool guy, he is a cool guy."
"You know it's like the CIB said, he was not the intended target, they came for someone else."
"I hope they find the culprit who did it because the guy wasn't too healthy either but his life shouldn't have been taken like that."
Vernon's mother is devastated at his loss and all his mother could tell us was that he was unfailingly kind, the kind of man who would give you the shirt off his own back.
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