His family says that Leon Sutherland, 24, like many of the victims of gun violence these days, was an innocent. He wanted little more from life than to smoke some marijuana, hang out with family and friends, and cultivate his relationship with his girlfriend, Shiane Ireland.
Yet Sutherland, of #15 Marigold Lane in the Lake, joins a long list of Belize City’s murder victims, preceded just last week by Robert “Black” Jones on Evergreen Street.
Today, an emotional Ireland, who has previously lost a brother to violence, fondly recalled the good times she had with Sutherland; she describes their relationship as being “like brother and sister” more than boyfriend and girlfriend.
When she last saw him, just before 8:00 p.m. Friday night, July 25, Sutherland was headed out to buy bun for the evening tea. Ireland recalls that she begged him to either let her do it, or come back quickly – fears that turned out to be well grounded.
Gunshots sounded minutes later at the corner of Vernon and Partridge Streets, as Sutherland headed back home from his errand. He had been shot from behind multiple times by at least two, possibly three gunmen, and hit twice – once in the right ear (the bullet went through the face), and once in the back, the bullet exiting through the chest.
Already in hospital for an unrelated complaint, Leon’s mother, Shirlene Coleman, when she heard the news, initially thought that Leon would make it, and even believed that the shooters may have wanted his bike.
But Leon’s older brother today said he is totally convinced that the young men, whom he believes came from the Mayflower Street area, intended to kill his younger brother, and in so doing send a message to the “base-boys” of Lake I.
“Dah chance dehn chance ah,” he raged to Amandala this morning. He added that the family does not believe there was a mistake in identity, as one of the theories floating around the City suggests.
When we asked his loved ones if Leon was involved, even peripherally, with any gangs in the area, the answer was a resounding “NO!” all around.
“Leon dah no no gangbanger. Dah no no gangbanger,” Ireland maintained this afternoon at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital while waiting for the results of the post-mortem.
Police believe that the strife between Mayflower Street (aka “Ghost Town”) and the Lake Independence area has been revived with deadly results.
Two young men – “Black” Jones and Sutherland – died last week, and two others – Leon Garcia and Kenroy Humes – were shot on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.
The family is understandably upset, and charges and recriminations flew at Leon’s home this morning when we visited, as they tried to make sense of the unbelievable.
Even as police say they have detained two persons and are seeking another, the family calls on the police department and the Conscious Youth Development Program to get tougher with suspected criminals and improve their investigation techniques to solve crimes more quickly.
Sutherland’s funeral services are planned for later this week.