Just before the break, we told you about the disturbing New Years Day murders in San Ignacio Town, and Lucky Strike Village. But that's only two of five, and so, we continue our newscast with reports on the other 3. We turn now to the Belize City murder of 21 year-old Joseph Babb.
He's a resident of Jones Street in the Lake Independence Division, and he was a major player in a gang that is based in the Gungulung area.
But sometime after 6:00 yesterday evening, he was out of his safe zone, in a residential area on the Northside, on Blue Marlin Drive. That's where a gunman ambushed him while he was standing in front of a food stall at the corner of Blue Marlin. That shooter jumped out of a vehicle and opened fire on Babb, who tried to escape by running through a yard. But, he couldn't get away from the determined shooter who gunned him down in front of Keffy's Shop, hitting him 4 times, including shots to the head and chest.
The Acting Police Commissioner spoke briefly with the press today about his murder:
Chester Williams - Acting Police Commissioner
"Police were called, sometime after 4 p.m. yesterday, to Blue Marlin Boulevard in the Buttonwood area, where they saw the lifeless body of Joseph Babb, who is a resident of Jones Street Belize City, with multiple gunshot injuries to the body. He was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. At this time, we have our theory where the murder is concerned, but we've not been able to confirm. So, we're not going to reveal a motive at this time, but the CIB personnel are on the grounds investigating, and trying to see what can be uncovered, in order to able to assist in solving this homicide."
Williams refused to address the gang overtones of this execution style murder.
We approached his family today, but they declined comment. We did get a chance to speak with Dianne Finnegan, the newly elected UDP Standard Bearer for Lake I, and she described for us how he changed from the at-risk young man she was trying to get to change his life, into one of her main political advisors for Lake Independence. Here's how that conversation went:
Dianne Finnegan, family Friend
"Our paths cross back in 2016 when Chester, myself and Mr. Nuri were doing the interventions with the different gangs to try and bring about some peace within this nation and I remember it was back in March of 2016 when Babb's mom approached Chester and asked - she was very concern about him and of course the life of her son and the path that he had chosen. He was probably leading a life that his mom was not comfortable with and so she asked for us to intervene, which we did. So Jawy was in the country at that time. Jawy, myself and Chester we did a long intervention with him and felt as if though we weren't getting through, because he was very angry and he just kind of stood his grounds as to where he is going to be. But amazingly 3 o' clock that day, we got the call that he wanted us to come and speak to the young men who he socialize with and he brought out everybody."
Reporter
"This was after you had already thought that you had lost that fight in trying to..."
Dianne Finnegan, family Friend
"We couldn't. We're not going to penetrate this one. We can't reach him and from that day to this very day my relationship, my friendship with Babb has been of mutual respect to the extent where when I decided that I wanted to run in Lake Independence I said I'd call 2 influential individuals that I know and that was Battery from PIV and Joseph from backaland and I spoke to both about my intentions and without hesitation Joseph said Miss D I got you. He's been instrumental in making sure the guys carry out their respective responsibilities in getting people to re-register and register, but most of all vote for me. never a question mark and when I fall back, he would quickly send me a text or call me and say Miss D you need to pass through, because certain things, this, that - you're not doing what you're supposed to do. He'd always say no worry about me Miss D, just make sure you take care. He called - Miss D, there is a family I want you to go and see. Miss D I want to carry you over so - always so interested in the sadness and the challenges that some other family was experiencing and him making it clear 'no worry about me, I okay, just take care of this for me.'"
We're told that Babb was a father.
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