A well-known Roaring Creek barber is fortunate to be alive after he was caught in a cross fire. 37 year old Mervin Young Jr. was grazed above his eye. Last night at around 9:30, he and his friend, who was driving, went to drop off his cousin at his Hattiville area home in Roaring Creek. Then, they were going to buy some drinks to take back to their family function but they didn't even make it to the store because a gun man opened fire and hit Young. The family says Young was not the target and the assailant was out to get someone else. We spoke to Young's father this afternoon. He and the family are just grateful Young is alive.
Mervin Young Sr., Father
"They had a beef going on here. From earlier they had their drinks stacked up. They had their barbeque and they ran low in drinks, so they decide to go and get another amount. He went and drop off his cousin and coming back out he want to buy the drinks and then he caught up in this firing the gunshot and then he got shot over his right eye and from there they took him to the hospital and then they transfer him to Belize and that's all up to now I know, because he didn't reach to buy the drinks yet."
Reporter
"You guys don't believe he was the target right? What you understand happened?"
Mervin Young Sr., Father
"It's someone who have something with another person back here and at the same time he was passing he got caught up in that thing. I have a cement house down there that is for me and it happened from my yard. The person who rented the house wasn't at home according to what I see and it's from through there they say the shot came. They don't have anything to do with it. they don't know who did it, but they got shot. They didn't have anything with anyone because my son doesn't go anywhere, he just ran his barbershop and his bar right here. I am glad the bullet didn't kill him and up to this morning when I spoke to his mother, his mom said he was speaking and everything. I am really grateful, because that is better than death, because if the bullet had caught him in his head he would have die. The bullet just grazed over his eyelid. His eye is swollen."
When we spoke to the family this evening, they said Young was responding well but his eye is badly swollen and the doctors have to wait until the swelling goes down to inspect his eye for any damage.
Now at today's press briefing in Belmopan, police also commented that based on their information, Young was not the target and he was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.
ACP Joseph Myvett, Head, National Crimes Investigation Branch
"Roaring Creek police responded to information of a shooting in the Hattieville area of Roaring Creek, where Landy Thomas reported to them that while driving his silver in colour Saturn Vue and was accompanied by one Mervin Young, 37 years of a Roaring Creek address when they were fired upon by a male person who seemingly was firing at another person. As a result, Young sustained one gunshot type injury above his right eye. At this point in time we are following several leads, but we do not have anyone in custody as yet."
Police are looking at several angles in this case to find out who the shooter is and what fueled the attack. Police say they have carried out several police operations in that area of Roaring Creek to quell the gang feuds.
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