Police Officer Shot Dead in Roaring Creek Village

Three persons were shot and killed over the weekend including a reformed Belize City gang member and a police officer. The increase in shootings in Belize City in particular has authorities considering to implement a State of Emergency. We know that several measures have been put in place since the increase of gun violence over the weekend. Aside from the SOE, one of the measures include monitoring key gang figures in southside Belize City. We start of tonight’s newscast with the murder of the police officer from Camalote Village that sent shockwaves through his community and the Belize Police Department. Twenty-nine-year-old Police Constable Dylan Anthony was on his way home when he was ambushed by a gunman on the Roaring Creek Bridge. Described as a humble giant, Anthony comes from a family of police officers. He is known to have been committed to his job and family. So, why would anyone target him? Was it a case of mistaken identity? News Five’s Paul Lopez travelled west today and has the following report:

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Twenty-nine-year-old Police Constable Dylan Anthony was shot and killed on Saturday night in Roaring Creek while heading home. Anthony travelled to Belmopan on his motorcycle to withdraw some cash from an ATM. On his way back to Camalote, at the approach of the Roaring Creek Bridge, a gunman opened fire in his direction. We spoke with his partner, Denise Gonzalez.

 

Denise Gonzalez, Common-Law Wife of Deceased

“I called him the morning and he never answer. From morning ih the mess with a bike weh ih jus buy. But i know before the day done ih mih wah call.”

 

But Gonzalez never received the call that she was expecting from her partner and the father of her five-year-old son. Instead, the call she received was one that no partner wants to hear.

 

Denise Gonzalez 

“When they call me after nine, dah fih tell me that deh done shot up ah, deh done shot up ah. I said no, nuh Dylan. Who would ah want to shoot him up like that? He nuh bother a fly, a soul, he dah one of the sweetest persons I ever know.”

 

We also heard from PC Anthony’s father, Herbert Anthony, who gave twenty-eight years of his life to the Belize Police Department. In fact, Herbert inspired Anthony and two of his other children to join the force. As a former cop, Herbert was one of his son’s main career advisors.

 

Herbert Anthony, Father of Deceased

“I give him great encouragement to join. The man does seh, dad I want be just like you. I told him go for it son. He was a very humble guy, cool, nuh interfere with people. When I use to talk foolish things he said dad why nuh stop talk fool. The man seh, dad that nuh wah mek yo big, stop yo fool. The man gone for it and joined the job. The man seh dah I love the job, but the lee transfer, when deh transfer me to Corozal I really wanted to go in the unit weh you deh. I tell ah bway sometimes you have to tek weh yo get because sometimes people bad mind yo eena yo job and send you to places you feel like you can’t handle.”

 

Credible information to News Five is that Anthony’s murder was a case of mistaken identity. His helmet fully covered his face as he rode his motorcycle. It is believed that his body structure is similar to that of the individual that the gunman intended to target. PC Anthony was a bodybuilder. He spent a great deal of time inside the Camalote Community Centre’s gym alongside his body-building mentor, Dean Lewis.

 

Dean Lewis, Friend of Deceased

“Dylan, I saw him grow up from baby. As he progressed, went to high school and everything, he came out to the community center a lot. I saw that body built for body building so when he got older i spoke to him and said listen up do you want to try work out at the gym an do something. He said no problem let me see what i can do. Automatically he liked it, fell iin love with it and he has been going for a while. Dylan was one of the young men that you could look at him and know that he was going to be a productive young man in the area. It is sad that he is gone, because then who takes up his slack?”

 

The Belize Police Department issued a press release following Anthony’s murder, noting that he served with honour and distinction in his duties to protect and serve the community. The release further stated that the department is working diligently to investigate this senseless act of violence and bring those responsible to justice.

 

Denise Gonalez

“Still eena shock, still eena shock. The family, we cant take it, we cant take it. Now my baby leff with no daddy. He and his son mih suh close. Nuh wah day guh by without he call my baby.”

 

Herbert Anthony

“My son, I am not taking up, everybody knows he nuh interfere with people. He into any sport like barbell lifting. Everybody knows he is not a bad person cuz.”

 

Reporting for News Five I am Paul Lopez.