Photo: Howard Reyes, arraigned

by Charles Gladden

BELIZE CITY, Mon. May 15, 2023

A Burrell Boom resident is currently behind bars on remand after being charged for a shooting that occurred in Saint Paul’s Bank, Belize District, last Tuesday, May 9. The accused has been identified as a 27-year-old car dealer, Howard Reyes.

Reports indicate that 24-year-old James Perry, a bus conductor, was walking home when he got into a misunderstanding with Reyes, who allegedly shot him in his hip, after which he was transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.

Police, upon responding to reports of a shooting in the area, found Reyes driving a Chevy Equinox, and inside was a nine-millimeter expended shell. Reyes was then arrested.

On Friday, May 12, Reyes was arraigned in the Magistrate’s Court in Belize City before Senior Magistrate Tricia Pitts in the presence of his attorney. He was charged with one count of attempted murder, one count of use of deadly means of harm, one count of wounding upon James Perry, and one count of aggravated assault with a firearm.

No plea was taken, and Reyes was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until July 14.