BELIZE CITY, Wed. Feb. 15, 2017–The blood of Jason Cortez was spilled on the streets of Belize City’s ruthless southside less than two months after his 21st birthday.

According to police reports, Cortez was fatally gunned down around 6 p.m. last night, Wednesday, while walking near the corner of Western Avenue and Electric Avenue.

We were told that he was trying to make his way to his home on Balan Street, situated in the general area where he was murdered.

According to Police Inspector Fitzroy Yearwood, Cortez was being followed by a walking, armed assassin who shot him multiple times in the chest, abdomen, back and buttocks.

Cortez died on the scene. He was then taken to the morgue, but there were delays in getting him inside as the morgue had already been closed for the day.
Police have since detained one man for questioning.

Cortez’s family has declined comment to the media, but via Facebook, one of his sisters told our newspaper that he was their parents’ fourth child.

She also told our newspaper, “My mom can’t hold up at d moment…my dad don’t want us to share our story.”

However, she posted to Facebook, “He knows [the person] who killed him …”

Cortez was remanded to prison last January after he was accused of handling stolen goods and aggravated assault after breaking into a catamaran docked on Middle Long Caye and robbing its passengers at gunpoint.

Cortez is the second person to be gunned down on Western Avenue in one week. Last Wednesday, Alrick August, 24, a hardworking father of four, was shot eight times in this same area, but he continues to fight for his life in a hospital bed.