HATTIEVILLE, Belize District, Mon. Apr. 27, 2020– At about 6:00 this morning, Julian Ebanks, 31, a laborer of Bainsville, Hattieville, located at Mile 17 on the George Price Highway, was walking home after having gone along the highway to buy cigarettes.
While he was walking, however, three men came up to him and one of them, who was armed, fired several times at him.
Ebanks, who was hit a number of times, tried to run, but fell into a nearby drain.
His mother, Phylis Rubio, told reporters that she was at home getting ready to walk to the highway to catch a ride to come to Belize City, when she heard the multiple gunshots. A relative of hers then went to her and told her that Ebanks had been shot.
She quickly went to the area and saw Ebanks lying face down in the drain. She said that when she turned him over and held him, she saw multiple bullet holes in his body, and he was soaked in blood. She saw gunshot wounds in his hands, chest and stomach.
Rubio said that she tried to comfort her son as much as she could, while police were called. The devastated mother said that when a police vehicle arrived, she helped to put Ebanks in the pan of the vehicle and she accompanied him to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, but when they arrived at about Mile 4, he passed away on the way to the hospital.
Rubio told reporters that she was expecting the death of her son, because he had told her that he was receiving threats, because he was accused of burning a man in Mahogany Heights, Belize District. He was remanded for the accusation, but was released from jail about two weeks ago, and that was when the threats began.
Rubio said that her son told her that they would kill him, but he did not know when. She tried to caution him not to go out, that he could not fight them because he was alone, and had no friends, but despite her warning, he still went.
In October 2017, Ebanks and others were socializing at the Vernon Street Fish Market in Belize City when an unknown man fired at him, hitting him in the shoulder and cheek, which damaged his ears. His mother said that since then he had recovered, but had hearing difficulties.
Police are investigating the murder, but so far, there have been no arrests.
Feature photo: (l-r) Julian Ebanks, deceased and Phylis Rubio, Ebanks’ mother