Brandon Baptist Murdered at Football Game

Thirty-nine-year-old Brandon Baptist, a man who had turned his life around and dedicated himself to God, was tragically shot dead on Friday night. The incident occurred just after nine pm at the Marion Jones Stadium during a football match. As chaos erupted and spectators dashed for cover, News Five captured the scene as police moved in to control the situation. The shooter, or shooters, unleashed a volley of bullets, fatally wounding Baptist. He fell to the ground beneath the bleachers, where his loved ones gathered in shock and disbelief around his lifeless body. Three others were also shot but survived. News Five’s Marion Ali has the report.

 

Denise Flowers, Mother of Deceased

“Dehn gone da da game fi problem because dehn gone dehn shoot up afta all my son dem too, you understand, like dehn da macho man, like dehn da God. Who is they fi tek life?”

 

Marion Ali, Reporting

A grieving mother’s sorrow echoes through the community. Denise Flowers, heartbroken over the murder of her son, Brandon Baptist, shares that he had made peace with those she believes are behind his tragic death.

 

Denise Flowers

“Yoh know weh hurt me, my son mek peace wid the same bally dehn and dehn same bally dehn still kill my pikni.”

 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“On Friday night, police had received information of shots fired at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex. Based on the information received, the police responded. Upon arrival, they encountered a lifeless body of a male person, identified as Brandon Baptist.”

 

Commissioner of Police Chester Williams told reporters today that Baptist went to the game after he learned of a dispute among others.

 

Chester Williams

“The initial information the police have received is that Baptist who was not at the game earlier at inception was called to the field or to the stadium following some altercations someone may have had with members of the P.I.V. gang. Upon arrival, he was there hanging out with other members of the B.L.C. They were at the lower end of the bleacher and the P.I.V were at the upper end in the same line of bleachers. Brandon got up and he went to where the P.I.V group were, and some altercation happened. During the altercation, some are alleging that Brandon may have taken out a gun and when he did that, the others from P.I.V  shot him. After having shot him, he continued to struggle with them and he was eventually thrown over the railing of the bleachers, where his body was later found.”

 

In the aftermath of the tragic killing, Williams acted swiftly on Saturday, implementing strategies to prevent any retaliatory violence. He mentioned that mediations have been paused to let tensions cool down and allow the community to regain some sense of calm.

 

Chester Williams

“I went to Belize City on Saturday, myself and Mr. Grinage. We met with the senior command in Eastern Division, Mr. Romero and his team, strategizing to ensure that we put things in place to avert any possible retaliation. And so you’ll see that there is increased police operations in the St. Martins de Porres area and that operation is going to continue for a very lengthy period of time, because we want to make sure that we have things in place to prevent retaliation, even up to the funeral and after the funeral. I have also advised the mediation team, Brother Nuri and Brother Footie, that we’re not going to engage in the new mediation at this time because we don’t want to bring a group together. Tensions are extremely high and that might result in further escalation of issues. So we will put aside mediation for now and allow the police to work.”

 

Brandon Baptist’s family is clear on one thing: they don’t want revenge. His mother shared their stance, but she couldn’t hide her anger towards those responsible for taking his life.

 

Denise Flowers

“My son turn to God and unu hate to see that. Unu people out deh weh kill my son.  Unu da devil. Unu da evil people. Unu nuh have God eena unu. But one thing that I thank  God  fa, that my son mi turn to God.  We nuh wa vengeance nothing.  We left vengeance to God, right, because eena this life ya, everybody have dehn day. We nuh come ya fi turn rockstone. All ah we come ya fi dead and whosoever kill my son, I wish the best to dehn and I left dehn to God because there is a God.”

 

The other victims, thirty-seven-year-old John Grinage, twenty-six-year-old Herson Mena, and twenty-one-year-old Cameron Williams, were quickly rushed to the K.H.M.H for medical care. Grinage and Mena are still in the hospital, while Williams was treated and has since been released. Marion Ali for News Five.