by Charles Gladden
CARMELITA, Orange Walk District, Mon. Dec. 18, 2023
Hugo Rodriguez, 45, a construction worker of Carmelita Village, Orange Walk District, was killed in the village by two teenagers during a confrontation at a local store last night, December 17.
According to reports, sometime before 8:30 p.m., Rodriguez had visited a nearby store in the village and was confronted by three men at the establishment.
Rodriguez then walked away from the trio in the direction of his home on Jaguar Drive –estimated to be about a block away from his residence – but as soon as he entered his yard, two men approached him on bicycles and proceeded to blast gunshots at him.
When police arrived at the scene, they discovered Rodriguez with multiple gunshot injuries in various parts of his body (abdomen, rib cage, shoulder, thigh, buttocks, lower back, and right hand) and lying motionless in his yard on the ground. He was transported to the Northern Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The father-in-law of Rodriguez, who wishes to remain anonymous, told reporters (in Spanish which was translated to English) that his son-in-law had returned from work in Belize City an hour before he was gunned down.
His father-in-law said that Rodriguez had been at the store with the men who attacked him, but that, as far as he was aware, Rodriguez had not been involved in any conflicts with anyone there.
“We were at home coming from shopping when they called my son, and that’s when we realized what happened … As far as I know, he had no problems with any of them; but we don’t know how that happened to him. He went out for a walk or to have his beers, but I never knew that he had serious problems with someone,” he said.
Police were able to recover six 9mm SB 9×19 22 brand shells and one bullet slug. Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander for the Belize Police Department’s Eastern Division, mentioned to the press that three persons are in their custody at this moment in relation to this crime.
“We are trying to find the motive, but at some point, he was followed when he went home,” ACP Romero said.
Hugo Rodriguez leaves behind three children, the youngest is one month old.