by Kristen Ku
BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Aug. 10, 2023
Today, Thursday, August 10, a man was fatally shot multiple times in the St. Martin De Porres area of Belize City. The victim was identified as Aaron Chavez, 19.
Eyewitnesses say that Chavez was entering a yard on Zacaranda Street when the assailant(s) opened fire. Local residents reported hearing up to eight gunshots.
In a press briefing held shortly after the incident, Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams detailed what took place. “This morning, sometime around 10:00 o’clock, police received information of shots fired on Zacaranda Street. They responded and upon arrival, they saw the lifeless body of a male person who was later identified as Aaron Chavez. He displayed multiple gunshot injuries,” Williams stated.
Chavez was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
The Police Commissioner explained that the police are meticulously searching the crime scene, gathering evidence, and speaking to potential witnesses.
“Investigators are currently probing the area, looking for clues, and talking to people who may be able to provide information that can assist the police in this latest homicide in Belize City,” he said.
Police have not yet established a clear motive for the killing.
Additionally, when asked whether the killing of Chavez, who was originally from the Mayflower area, could have been gang-related, or if surveillance cameras in the vicinity recorded any useful footage, Commissioner Williams refrained from confirming any speculations.
Currently, a State of Emergency (SOE) is ongoing in multiple parts of the city. While many believe that the SOE should have slowed down all crime, Williams explained that it is not so.
“It is not a cure for all murders. There are still going to be incidents, but it certainly does help in terms of mitigating the amount of murders that we have,” he explained.
Notably, sources indicated that Chavez had previously made headlines earlier this year when he daringly jumped out of a moving pickup truck while being transported to prison.
Now with tensions high, police are currently exploring all possibilities in an effort to avoid any acts of retaliation.