Email

Print

A young man was shot and killed in Orange Walk town last night around 8:00. He is 21 year old Alberto Vargas Jr. a resident of the Louisiana area, of Orange Walk town. He was killed as he sat in a car with a person he had picked up - and tonight that passenger is the suspected killer. Emanuel Pech has more:…

The flaring lights in the background gave this night scene an eerie feel. In the aftermath of the of the shooting death of Alberto Vargas, police scouted the scene, in hopes of piecing together the events that lead up to this latest homicide.

According to police, Vargas was inside this green ford escape with dark tinted windows.  He was parked in front of Landy's and Sons Hardware store on the Belize Corozal Road in Orange Walk town.

It doesn't look like much right now but at night this venue is one of the hot spots for street food in Orange Walk. Police say that is just what Vargas was waiting for. He had stopped in front of Landy's to buy food.

Two others were inside the vehicle with him. One known as Mendoza and the other, someone police say Vargas had picked up along the way.

Witnesses say about 7 shots rang out piercing the tranquil atmosphere of the night. One eyewitness told us what he remembers of that frightening experience.

Voice of: Witness
"What we saw last night was something that happened very fast. A man showed up and fired at the vehicle. He was in front of a business place at the location. That was all we saw. We couldn't see who was the person or anything like that. We just heard the shots. Upon hearing the shots we all threw ourselves on the ground. "

Police say they recovered a slug on the dash board of the vehicle, 4 expended shells on the rear passenger's seat, and 2 more shells at the scene.

Today there was a single bullet mark on the windshield. Two others caught Vargas on the left side of his neck, fatally wounding the 21 year old.

Voice of: Witness
"The exact thing we saw was someone that came out of the vehicle. He ran leaving his slippers on the ground. The vehicle began to move because he left the vehicle without a driver. When he saw the gunman had escaped he returned for the vehicle. He, the driver, then left with the vehicle. That was all we saw. We couldn't even see the man who returned. We just saw he got in and drove off."

Mendoza sped off to the Northern Regional Hospital but by then it was too late. An on duty doctor pronounced Vargas dead around 8:20 pm.

Now his family is left mourning the tragic death of young Alberto Vargas, a 21 year old shop assistant of Orange Walk Town. Reporting for 7 News Emanuel Pech.

We understand that Alberto Vargas Jr. is known to police. In 2017, he and JOSE Medina - who was driving last night - were charged for drug trafficking after they were busted with 10 pounds of weed.  

When we approached the family for an interview today we were met only with closed doors. Police are looking for a known suspect from Belize City.