BELIZE CITY, Mon. July 26, 2021– Two young men were killed on Sunday night around 8:30 during a shootout at the corner of Kraal Road and Haynes Street in Southside Belize City. The victims, both males, have since been identified as Gary Young and Matthew Guy.

Reports are that Gary Young was in a yard socializing with some other persons when Guy arrived with another individual and opened fire on the crowd. Young was fatally hit and was rushed to the hospital, where he died shortly after arrival.

During his attempted escape after the shooting, the gunman, Matthew Guy, was also shot and killed by a person who it is believed was in the yard with Young. Police have refused to release the identity of that individual who shot Guy until their investigation is completed.

According to the Police Department’s communication director, ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, at this point the department has classified their handling of these two incidents as a murder and a loss of life investigation, respectively, and these are the two approaches they are taking to the cases until they pass on the evidence they’ve gathered to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for further directives.

At this time, the Police Department has not yet determined the motive for the shootings. Their investigation continues.