BELIZE CITY–In spite of the police’s ongoing crime prevention operations which are aimed at restoring a sense of security in apprehensive city residents, a determined gunman managed to eliminate his target during the pre-dawn hours of yesterday in the Fabers Road Extension area of Belize City.

Police say that as an unsuspecting Michael Usher, 38, rode his bicycle from the direction of the George Price Highway towards Central American Boulevard after 4:00 a.m. yesterday, Sunday, he was fatally shot multiple times in the head and body.

Authorities responded to the scene near #9719 Fabers Road Extension sometime after, and Usher’s body was later transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival at 6:00 a.m.

While the victim’s family has declined comment, Officer in Charge of the Police’s Eastern Division Crimes Investigation Branch (CIB), Superintendent Hilberto Romero, told us this morning that while Usher, who was a resident of #7459 Fabers Road Extension, was no stranger to the law, police have not been able to establish any motive as yet for the crime; however, statements have been gathered from people who were in the area at the time of the murder.

Romero said that as far as they know, the victim, who worked as a mason, was not affiliated with any gang, but he had been charged before with offenses ranging from robberies and burglaries, to thefts.

Police have not so far indicated how many times Usher was shot, and in what parts of his body he was shot.

Investigators recovered six 9mm expended shells and one slug from the scene of the shooting, but no suspects have been detained as yet.