The security guard found murdered this morning in Belize City has been identified. He is Kadeem Babb. Babb’s body was reportedly found in a security booth inside the Sadie Vernon High School compound.
The shooting occurred a stone’s throw away from the Mahogany Street police station.
More details to follow.
As of 8:00 AM EDT on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, has identified two areas of interest in the Atlantic basin that could potentially develop into tropical systems over the coming days.
Western Caribbean/Southwestern Gulf of Mexico:
The first area of concern is a tropical wave currently situated over the central Caribbean Sea. This system is moving rapidly westward at approximately 25 mph, accompanied by disorganised shower activity. There is a possibility that environmental factors may improve by the weekend.
* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…10 percent.
* Formation chance through 7 days…low…20 percent.
Eastern Tropical Atlantic:
The second area being monitored is a tropical wave located several hundred miles southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. This disturbance is generating disorganised showers and thunderstorms as it moves westward across the central and western tropical Atlantic at a speed of 15 to 20 mph.
* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent.
* Formation chance through 7 days…low…30 percent.
Belize City police are investigating the death of a security officer whose body was found early this morning at a Belize City school.
Investigators remain at the scene at Sadie Vernon High School.
The cause of death is unclear at this time.
This is a developing story.
The Belize Police Department expresses utmost concern and condemnation following a targeted shooting incident at the residence of Commissioner of Police Chester Williams. The incident occurred on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, at approximately 9:19 pm in Belmopan City. While Commissioner Williams was fortunately not present, the brazen attack targeted his home where his 22-year-old son was at the time.
Initial investigations indicate that two motorcycles, each carrying two individuals, unleashed gunfire at the residence, prompting a swift response from law enforcement.
Zero Tolerance for Crime: Belize Police Department Takes Firm Action
The Belize Police Department has initiated a thorough investigation into this appalling act of violence. As of now, one suspect is in custody, and efforts are ongoing to locate three additional individuals believed to be involved.
Commissioner of Police Chester Williams underscores that such criminal actions will not be tolerated, and every effort will be made to ensure the safety and security of all residents. The Department urges anyone with relevant information to come forward and assist in bringing those responsible to justice.
The Belize Police Department remains resolute in its commitment to safeguarding our communities and upholding law and order. Together, we stand against crime and stand with our communities for a safer Belize.
(Press release)
The house of Police Commissioner Chester Williams was targeted last night in Belmopan. This occurred days after the Roaring Creek Police Station was shot up. Williams who left the country yesterday said that he was alerted of this alarming incident by his son who was in the house when the shooting occurred. He was not injured. Williams is currently in New York City attending the UN Chiefs of Police conference.
On social media, he posted, “The act of shooting at my home is a clear example why as a society we cannot go easy on these criminals who believe that they can run our streets and keep our law-abiding citizens hostage with impunity. My mandate as the Commissioner of Police remains clear, and that is to keep the people of our country safe. This is even if my own safety is at risk.”
Williams says he will not be deterred by these cowardly acts
Another state of emergency is in effect for neighborhoods on the north and south sides of Belize City. It is the second S.O.E. within the past six months in an attempt to arrest the spike in violent crimes carried out by feuding gangs. Earlier today, simultaneous operations were conducted in the Victoria Street area, Lake Independence and other parts of the city where several individuals were rounded up under the latest emergency declaration. The Commissioner of Police is on record blaming a recent concert for the rash of gang-related shootings and murders within the past week. The Leader of the Opposition roundly criticizes the ComPol’s approach and says don’t blame the violence on music and entertainment. Tonight, a handful of alleged gang members is in police custody and if the commissioner has his way, they will remain on lockdown at the Belize Central Prison for the next three months. We begin our newscast tonight with a report from Isani Cayetano.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
This morning, teams of law enforcement officers swarmed around various neighborhoods in Belize City, including Lake Independence, where another state of emergency has come into effect. The S.O.E. comes hard on the heels of a violent weekend that saw a deadly attack on two men inside a vehicle on Mahogany Street. Several days earlier, in a separate shooting incident, another individual was murdered near La Croix Boulevard.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“This morning, the police department launched a state of emergency on south side Belize City, as well as over on north side, Victoria Street, including that entire Jungle area. So, this morning, as you see, the police are out in full force, along with members of the Belize Defense Force, and we are pursuing those persons who we want to be detained as part of the S.O.E.”
“They had the concert, certain things took place at the concert and there was where everything started. It spilt over after the concert and then it permeates the city. We now have to deal with the aftermath of that.”
An operation is underway on the streets of Lake-I. A checkpoint has been set up on Western Avenue where vehicles entering and exiting onto the George Price Highway are inspected. Since the campaign began, the Belize Police Department has recovered firearms, ammunition, and various quantities of cannabis.
“The police have recovered a number of firearms and ammunition within the Belize District and the Cayo area. I must say that since we started our operations in the San Ignacio/Santa Elena area the team there has seized about four firearms and a number of ammunition. So it goes to show the work that the police have been doing in those areas to be able to crack down on the issue of crime.”
“We are in search for that individual. As I said, we know who he is but we have not been able to locate him. We are hoping that pretty soon we will be able to do so. We have gotten additional information, I will not divulge that to the media at this time, surrounding that entire incident. And so, as soon as the investigation is at a level where we believe we can share certain things with you, then we’ll do so.”
“Can you explain to us why Cotton Tree is included in the S.O.E.?”
Chester Williams
“We do have a number of elements who are originally from Roaring Creek, but they have moved over and taken up residence in Cotton Tree and those people are among the group of persons who are terrorizing that entire western corridor. They commit burglaries, robberies, shootings from Cotton Tree all the way to the border area, and so it is important for us to be able to capture those persons as part of the S.O.E.”
Chester Williams
“We started our operations since yesterday and we have been able to detain a number of persons who were wanted for murders. As you would see on our media blog we had shared with yesterday, the arrests of two individuals. One was arrested for the murder of Elwin Lewis which took place a couple months ago. That person had been on the run for a number of months from us and we were able to locate him yesterday. And we also charged, I think, Marquis Conorquie for the murder of the guy Moore who was killed on Sunday during the day. So those two individuals were captured as part of this operation and we have also detained a number of other persons who the GI3 will be looking at for gang investigation and a number of persons who are wanted by C.I.B. for different investigations as well.”
Isani Cayetano for News Five.
Following the state of emergency declaration, the Leader of the Opposition, slammed the government for what he describes as having no solution to the increasing crime rate. This afternoon, Shyne Barrow also said his party has been suggesting a change at the helm of the police department for quite some time. He pointed to the increase in murder rate, compared to last year, and criticized the Commissioner of Police for blaming the Trinibad concert for the recent gun violence.
Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“You have the commissioner of police blaming music as the reason for the current state of emergency. It is music now. It is concerts. It is a DJ Trinibad. He’s the reason that people are killing people, please. This is the reason that Chester has to go. There has been a 45 percent increase in the murder rate. We have 58 murders already, from January to June, whereas last year we had about 40 or maybe 45. And so we have a significant increase in the murder rate. The United Democratic Party has been saying for the last few years that the Prime Minister needed to make adjustments in the Ministry of Police and We stay by that. We have been saying that Chester Williams has reached his expiration date. Milk tastes good, but after a certain date, it is useless. And we are seeing that with the Ministry of Police. They completely lack leadership. They lack leadership. The competence at the two most important positions, which is the ministry, the minister of police, and the commissioner of police. And what we see in Chester Williams is just a defense attorney for the Government of Belize. There is no accountability, there is no willingness to accept shortcomings, there is no willingness to work with stakeholders.”
Twenty-four- year-old Marquis Anthony Conorquie has been arraigned and remanded to the Belize Central Prison for the murder of thirty-two-year-old Stanley Moore and the attempted murder of twenty-seven-year-old Joshua Gillett. As we reported, on Sunday evening, Moore and Gillett were traveling in a B.M.W. from the direction of Central American Boulevard towards Oleander Street when two men on a motorcycle rode up beside the car. One man on the motorcycle pointed a firearm at the B.M.W. and opened fire. The two men on the motorcycle then drove off towards the direction of Amandala Drive and made good their escape. A wounded Gillett drove himself and Moore to the K.H.M.H. When police arrived at the hospital, Moore was found dead inside the passenger seat of the car, while Gillett was being treated in emergency. Two days after the shooting, police have arrested and charged Marquis Conorque. He was taken to court and read four charges, including murder, attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm and dangerous harm. In court, no plea was taken from Conorquie and, due to the nature of the offenses, bail was denied. He was remanded into custody at the Belize Central Prison until August twenty-sixth. According to police, the main suspect, a twenty-six-year-old man from the Saint Martin De Porres area, remains at large. Conorquie was presently out on bail for robbery. That trial is ongoing.
Rudolph “Bobo Youth” Lewis was murdered on March twenty-second. Tonight, a second suspect is behind bars in connection with his shooting death. Twenty-one-year-old Robert Arnold was brought before the Magistrates Court where he was read a single charge of murder. Arnold is now charged jointly with twenty-two-year-old Travis Herbert who was first arraigned on May sixth. In court today, Arnold was unrepresented and due to the nature of the offense, he was denied bail and remanded into custody at the Belize Central Prison until July fifth. That is also the date that Herbert will appear in court for a second time since being arraigned for murder. As we reported, on March twenty-second, Lewis was riding his motorcycle from the direction of Elston Kerr Street towards Central American Boulevard when two male persons on a motorcycle came from behind him and fired several shots in his direction. Lewis later succumbed to the injuries he sustained, while being treated at the K.H.M.H. The murder scene was visited by Scenes of Crime Personnel, where expended shells were recovered from the scene, along with a green Lifan motorcycle. Police also viewed several video surveillance footages in the immediate area and footage was retrieved as evidence. Witness statements positively identified Travis Herbert as one of the men riding on the motorcycle from which the gunshots were fired.
Reggae Street resident Doris Grant and her common-law husband, Austin Underwood, were arrested and charged last week for being members of a gang. The couple was arraigned and remanded to the Belize Central Prison after being denied bail in the lower courts several days after they came under gunfire while returning home from the Trinibad concert. But what brought about the charges for the embattled businesswoman and her common-law? Here’s how ComPol Williams responded to that question.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“The GI3 has a responsibility or a mandate to investigate every person who we believe are members of any criminal gangs in Belize. They did their investigation, they had their evidence and they brought the charges. The matter is now before the court and I’ll leave it at that.”
