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And while the worry in Belmopan has been about teenagers being killed, last night in Cayo, a grandmother was killed.  

It happened at around 8:30 last night when police were called back to the home of the Galindo Brothers, which they had left just five minutes earlier.   

It's on Perez Street in Santa Elena - an area that has known violence recently - and last night, it looked like retaliation.  

The gunman's initial targets ran for cover - and the gunman then turned his weapon on a mother and her grandchildren inside the house. Cherisse Halsall has the story:

This yard was inundated with gunfire last night.

A 58 year old grandmother was shot inside the home. She may have stared down the gunman raining bullets above her grandchildren's heads in an attempt to protect them. One of those bullets hit her in the chest and exited through her side hitting the wall behind her. Her husband arrived on the scene moments later. Today he told us about the scene he met in the aftermath of the gunfire.

David Young - Husband of the deceased
"I was stopped on the road by a bicycle rider a neighbour he told me your wife get shot. Let's go hurry. When I drove up the way to come to the home on the way reaching before exiting come off the curb I arrived at my house and it looked disgraceful because I saw in the doorway I said surely my wife ran to the door when she heard those shots but that was not so. She didn't have the time to run to the door she got shot inside the house how dreadful, how hurtful, inside. Everybody was inside the two children the one three years and the other one 8 and gunshots were flying over these children's heads. So therefore I don't know how the grandmother saw and jump and was excited or shocked and then in the commotion. She got shot. She got shot in the chest."

Earlier today during a press briefing police described the scene as they found it.

ACP Joseph Myvette - Head, NCIB
"What police know so far is that sometime shortly before 8:30pm one Minor Galindo along with Angel Martinez were inside Galindo's yard when they were approached by two dark skinned male persons on a motorbike one of whom got off and took out a handgun and fired several shots in the direction of Martinez and Galindo, as a result they ran to the back of the yard and were followed by the gunman."

But the gunman gave up on them - and let off a full clip inside the house.  15 expended shells were recovered from the scene.

It is a ruthless attack and likely retaliation between rival groups - and now police have put up a stationary checkpoint a few feet from the Galindo's yard and a constant mobile police presence.

But for the Galindo family and the residents of Santa Elena it is too late for this area plagued by violence.

An area that 3 weeks ago witnessed the murder of Nelson Flores - also killed in his home by a gunman.

33 year old Jorge Galindo was eventually arrested and charged for that crime. Mirna Young was Jorge Galindo's mother.

Last night's killing has the community believing that her murder was retaliatory.

David Young
"Yes Jorge lived upstairs."

Cherisse Halsall
"What would you say to the reports that this attack was retaliatory?"

David Young
"This is the way they are opposing it but ma'am there people on the street are saying that Jorge had nothing to do with that murder. It is not our style, our custom to be covering things for children. Cause these people the Galindo family, brothers, they know, to every offense committed they pay. We don't pay this way, we are innocent people mein."

Angel Martinez, a friend of the Galindo brothers who was hanging out in the yard was also shot.

These are the bloodstains he left behind as he ran. He too may have very well been an innocent victim, but by his mere presence there, he suffered a shot to the spine and may never walk again.

Police were in the area at the time of the shooting - but could not track down the shooter.  As you saw, there is now a fixed police presence in front of the house. Â Ã‚