7 News Belize

Broad daylight Murder Close to Police Checkpoint
posted (August 12, 2019)
There was a broad daylight murder in Belize City this afternoon, and it's made even more shocking because it occurred within a few feet of a permanent and well known police check point.

The victim is Stephan Mcclaren, a young man from the same general area - who may have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time

We spoke to the young man's family who are grieving in confusion and hoping for justice for a life taken too soon. Cherisse Halsall reports.

Cherisse Halsall reporting
Shortly before 2:00pm this afternoon, 20 year old Stephan Mcclaren was reportedly walking with a friend along the corner of Cleghorn street and New Road when he was gunned down. He was rushed to the KHMH and died shortly after.

Although this neighborhood is no stranger to gang rivalries, Stephen's Uncle Chester says that his nephew had never been involved in those types of problems. He says just gone up the street to buy weed, a stone's throw away from a permanent police checkpoint and a short distance away from where he would normally buy his weed.

But, he was searched by police who confiscated the weed and told him that he would have to come to the station to retrieve it.

According to Mcclaren's uncle the fatal shot would have rung out mere moments after the police left the scene.

Chester Mcclaren, Uncle of the deceased
"I just saw him came in the yard to buy a weed, but the person was not there, so he went to get it somewhere else and that when he got it. The police pulled on him and told him if he wants the weed he must go to the station. After that the police drove off and that's when they shot him. One shot. I heard the shot not knowing it's my nephew when I got there. I was devastated and hurt. He never was a bad guy. He would always help his uncle do stuff in the yard. The only thing he did was smoke weed and go by his girlfriend house. That's it. I am Stephan McClaren uncle and I had just see him a couple hours before he got shot and I did not know which direction he went. All I heard was one shot, because I was at my neighbour's house sitting down and I got up and from where my neighbour lives, we could see Freetown Road and I saw the ambulance went that direction. My brother came to me and told me that it was nephew that got shot, so I rode the bike with my brother and found out if ot was him. We want answers, because my nephew is not a gang member. He is not into those things."

"He is a cool young man. He is humble, he doesn't trouble anyone, he is always there with his aunty helping her and on the weekend his aunt gives him a little money to buy his stuff. He was always loving and helpful around the house. He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. He came up a long way. Police could have helped him, but they left him there."

While the Police look for clues, this Family wants to bury their loved one in peace, and for the violence in the city to stop:

Chester Mcclaren, Uncle of the deceased
"I hope they catch the suspect and we get justice, because they took somebody child. He is not a gang member. The only incident he had was when a neighbour was trying to make a complaint on him and that's was it."

"He likes to wear blue, but that doesn't mean that he is a gang member. You could wear any colour, but this gotta stop, because its innocent people dying and we are the family that have to pick up the pieces. Now we have to find money to bury him and its expensive. By the grace of God, we will give him a good funeral."

We note that police searched him 5 minutes before he was killed.

Currently no one is detained for his murder.

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