7 News Belize

Civilian Shot and Killed Robber On The Run
posted (May 13, 2019)
Tonight, a 23 year old is dead - killed by an armed civilian after he had just robbed a grocery store on Sunday morning. There's no nice way to say it, the fact is there are many in the public applauding the man who took out his weapon and killed this robber as he was fleeing.

And police seem all too happy to keep to that tidy narrative - because the perpetrator Shemar Nunez was known to them as a criminal. End of story: one bad egg gone. But, it's not that simple, not at all, and Jules Vasquez has questions. Here's his story:..

Jules Vasquez reporting
At 9:15 AM - this surveillance video shows Shemar Nunez - in the white shirt - arriving at the grocery store. A minor who was riding on the sidewalk steps into the store with him. Five seconds later a car pulls up and drives over the sidewalk to park - clearly in a hurry.

Inside, Nunez and the minor rob the owner of a few hundred dollars at gunpoint. In 30 seconds - they are leaving with the loot when the man who has pulled up in the car opens fire - fade to black - Nunez is killed instantly. He lies dead on the street; police pull up in less than a minute - and Albert Street becomes a crime scene - just as Sunday Service is being held at Wesley Methodist Church.

ASP Alejandro Cowo, OC - CIB
"Mr. Nunez and another minor had just robbed a business establishment on Albert Street and as they were leaving the establishment they were pursued by a person and as a result Mr. Nunez point his firearm at the make person where the person had a firearm and fired shots at their direction causing the above mentioned injuries to Mr. Nunez. Also beside him police found a pistol loaded with a magazine containing several rounds of ammunition."

So there you have it - a robber with a known criminal record, a gun, and later on, the stolen money retrieved from his 16 year old accomplice. Open and shut case? Almost, but not quite.

Reporter
"What has been introduced into the narrative is that Shemar Nunez supposedly turned his weapon on this bystander, therefore creating a threat of mortal danger, but if that is true and I do not believe it to be true, then the response must be justified. Was there in your opinion a justifiable use of force by this bystander who happened to be passing?"

ASP Alejandro Como
"Yes, we believe that the force was justified. The post-mortem result will show us what transpired and as far as I know Mr. Nunez only have gunshot to his body."

Reporter
"Will there be a file that will be sent to the DPP if it was a justified homicide?"

ASP Alejandro Como
"Yes, we are preparing a file at this moment and we are just waiting for result from the lab so that we can complete a file and thereafter forward it to the DPP's office."

Today, Shemar Nunez's Father Gilbert held back tears as they conducted the post mortem on his son:

Gilbert Nunez, Father
"I can't believe it, my son was with me 5 minutes before he lost his life."

They were washing cars as usual, but without much success:

Gilbert Nunez, Father
"It wasn't happening like that yesterday that jobs were there for us to wash cars. It's a regular thing on Sundays we wash cars, but that day it wasn't happening. My son told me that he needed a little money and so I went into my pocket and I gave my son a little change to start the morning."

Minutes later his son lay dead on the street, and Gilbert Nunez was bowled over in grief.

Shemar's father is on the sidewalk in red being emotional

Security video shows him on the sidewalk past the police line, trying to get to his son's body:

Gilbert Nunez, Father
"Some people already post on Facebook "one thief less, they got it from their father." Listen to me I want to say to the citizens of Belize, there is nothing bad I will say to you all. You see me I don't encourage my children in crime. If my son died for a crime, I won't paint his bad and I won't paint him good. He has his own choice, but is that is the way my son loses his life, I have to be a man and accept it and ask God to please give me the strength to bury my child. If he is wrong, I will put up my 2 hands - he is wrong. If he is not wrong, I will ask please for the justice. That's all."

A plea to the DPP's office - for a case police eagerly want to close.

A post mortem confirmed that Shemar died of a single shot to the head.

The police narrative hinges on whether Shemar turned his weapon on the civilian who happened on the scene just as the robbery was occurring. We did not see that on the footage we reviewed. We'll see what the DPP says. We should note that police have a working, high powered, high definition camera one block away which should provide them with a clear view of what happened with the fatal shooting.

But, beyond that, there was a robbery and police are charging the 16 year old who was found with over 600 dollars in cash.

As for the business that was victim to this robbery - they have their own story. They have been robbed at least three times in just a few months of being opened - and asked police not to be named in the news. They are scared that they will be targeted again.

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