7 News Belize

First City Murder In Two Weeks
posted (August 3, 2011)
There was a murder in the city last night - the first in two weeks. The victim is a 23 year old who had just left his mother's home.

He was shot to the heart at the Corner of Zietown Street which is behind Sunny Side Bakery.

We spoke to his family today:

Jules Vasquez Reporting:

This is the spot on Zietown Street where Sydney Richards was killed last night at 8:30. The 23 year old was riding this bike when he was shot twice in the chest by a man on bicycle. This nearby vehicle was also shot in the spray of gunfire. The shots could be heard at his mother's home on Queen Charlotte Street which is two blocks away.

He had just left there minutes earlier.

Brenda Cacho - Mother of Deceased
"My daughter pushed the door, and she told me that my son got shot. I didn't believe. He brought a chicken for me; I was eating it, and when I noticed, he had already left."

Marion Ali - Love News
"How long after was he shot, after he brought you the food?"

Brenda Cacho
"When he bought the food - that was around 8 o'clock."

Marion Ali - Love News "And then you got the call..."

Brenda Cacho
"Then I got the call right about the same time."

Marion Ali - Love News
"Wow, moments - minutes..." Brenda Cacho
"Moments, yes."

His father - who lives in Lindo's Alley - says he had some sense that his son was in trouble:

Sydney Richards Sr. - Father of Deceased
"Yes, he came by Saturday. I talked to him about it. I said, 'Junior, I heard that you are going through little problems. What's the situation?' He said to me, 'Dad, Don't worry about it because everything is okay.' I asked him if he was sure and he said, 'Yes Dad.'"

Marion Ali - Love News
"He agreed he was going through some problems?"

Sydney Richards Sr.
"No, I asked him, and he said, 'Dad, Don't pay it any mind, because everything people are saying are lies. Don't worry it.'"

Marion Ali - Love News
"So he denied it?"

Sydney Richards Sr.
"Yes, he denied it."

His grand aunt, who saw him daily, is the most grieved:

Doris Brooks - Grand Aunt of Deceased
"Not, because he is my grand-nephew, but he is a quiet fellow. I haven't seen him into bad company and things like that. So I just don't know how he got in to this situation here. And he was at my house the whole morning. He spent the whole day with me, then he left and he went home. And from there, I don't know what happened."

Therese Clother - Aunt Of Deceased
"Well I was shocked because I know that he is not a problem person. He is a stevedore; he does fishing; he chops yards, does barbering - he fixes bicycles. He works hard for a living. He is not the kind of person that goes around - I will not swear and say that the company that he keeps - maybe they were the problem person, and they were looking for somebody; he was there perfect target."

Now Sydney Richards has to bury his only son - and this family has to come to terms with what they say is a killing with no motive.

Brenda Cacho - Mother
"I don't feel anyway. Already got over it, but he is my son."

Therese Clother - Aunt
"We are not the type of family that will revenge anybody. We will leave it up to the Good Lord, you know. We just want justice from the law. Whosoever did it, we want them to get punished. We want them to find his killers, plain and simple."

Police have made no arrests...

And we note that there was another shooting late this evening in Belize City. It happened at 6:00 pm, on Antelope Street Extension adjacent to the compound of Gwen Lizarraga High School. The victim was rushed to the KHMH and we are still working on details which we hope to have later in the news.

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