_{Photo: Shawn Ortiz, Sr., deceased}

by Charles Gladden

BELIZE CITY, Mon. Nov. 4, 2024

A Belize City taxi driver was mortally wounded early Monday morning, November 4, during an altercation in the Fabers Road Extension area of Belize City. The victim has been identified as 42-year-old Shawn Ortiz, Sr., of Fern Lane.

According to initial reports, around 3:00 a.m. Ortiz was at Stephen’s Place on Jaguar Avenue with a friend, 46-year-old Aston Lewis of Flamboyant Street, and when he and Lewis were leaving the establishment a group of men started a fight with him.

_{Photo: Stephen’s Place}

The fight escalated, and Ortiz was stabbed in the left side of his chest. Before authorities arrived at the scene, Ortiz was taken to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead, a few hours later.

ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander for the Belize Police Department’s Eastern Division, told reporters that a motive has yet to be established as to what caused the fight. Meanwhile, three persons are being sought in connection with Ortiz’s death.

ACP Romero noted that Ortiz wasn’t affiliated with any street activity.

His body lies at the morgue awaiting a post-mortem examination, as police investigations are ongoing.