BELIZE CITY, Mon. Dec. 10, 2018– Asher Saunders, 20, a welder of Baghdad Street, Belize City, died after he was shot in the side of his head at about 11:30 Friday night while he was socializing with friends in the Pier 1 Bar, located at the BTL Park.

A witness who doesn’t wish to be identified told Amandala that at about that time, Saunders and others were sitting at the counter in the bar when  a sound like that of a firecracker erupted. Seconds later, however, the patrons in the bar realized that it was not a firecracker when those near Saunders became splattered with blood.

Saunders then fell off the bar stool onto the floor, bleeding from his head.  The crowd of persons who were in the bar tried to escape out of the club all at once, and there was confusion. At the time, three policemen and a security guard were on duty in the bar, and they were supposed to have conducted security checks to ensure guns and weapons were not taken into the club.

Police said today, Monday, that they believe that the shooting was revenge for the shooting death of car washer Arthur Flowers, 44, on Saturday, December 1, on Handyside Street.  Kentroy McKoy, 20, has been remanded for Flowers’ murder. McKoy and Saunders reportedly were friends.

Saunders was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, but died shortly after while undergoing treatment.

Police have reviewed surveillance footage recorded by security cameras in the club, but were unable to identify the shooter.