Another Alleged Killer is Gunned Down After Deadly Shooting on Kraal Road
Shamar Nicholas
A recent flare-up of gang warfare in the vicinity of Kraal Road has seen four persons killed. Two of them, including Gary Young and Matthew Gutierrez, fell victim to armed attackers who shot and killed them in cold blood. In what can only be described as instant karma, their killers were also taken out in an exchange of gunfire moments later. In the case of sixteen-year-old Shamar Nicholas, he reportedly gunned down a Rivero Street resident who happened to be in the area. But Nicholas wouldn’t get away unscathed, in attempting to escape from the scene, the high school student ran into police officers not far away and died in a salvo of bullets. News Five’s Isani Cayetano has our first story.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
For a second time in one week, a killer sent to execute a rival on Kraal Road is slain in an exchange of gunfire. On Sunday morning, sixteen-year-old Shamar Nicholas reportedly pounced on his quarry with lethal precision as he walked in the direction of Hinds Street. Matthew Gutierrez stood no chance, the twenty-four-year-old was blindsided in a hail of bullets. While attempting to flee the scene of the deadly shooting, Nicholas is said to have encountered several officers here, at this intersection with Rivero Street.
Matthew Gutierrez
ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Communications Director, Belize Police Department
“Whilst leaving the scene where Nicholas apparently committed this murder, he came across officers that were on duty on that same street, opened fire again. This time, he was not that lucky. The police returned fire where he was injured.”
Mortally wounded from the bullets that found their mark on his body, the minor rode his bicycle farther up to Waight Street where he collapsed. Not far from where Nicholas laid motionless, Belize City police observed a nine-millimeter handgun. His father was at home on Caesar Ridge Road when he heard the volley of gunshots. Another of his sons went to see what happened, returned home and reported what he saw.
Phillip Nicholas
Phillip Nicholas, Father of Deceased
“When I get deh, my son done gone. Wah police eena khaki shirt behind wahn mobile, when wah next police di show me, da gun deh, yoh son mi got da gun. A seh, my son noh own wahn gun, I noh own one. Weh ih wah get one from early da morning. Only ih cap di deh, he [wasn’t] there. Only ih cap, wahn bike and wahn gun weh deh way yonder.”
Despite Phillip Nicholas’ objections, it is entirely possible that Shamar, a third form student at Wesley College, could have gotten hold of a firearm elsewhere. That is the theory that investigators are going by.
Fitzroy Yearwood
ASP Fitzroy Yearwood
“In the incident, one of the officers received a, what we would call a graze by one of the, believed to be during this fire exchange. I know that the officers recovered a firearm from the scene that we believe was used by Nicholas in this whole three-way shootout or what we would want to refer to as murder or loss of life.”
What is important to note is that the past week has seen a flare up of gang-related incidents that resulted in two murders and two shooting deaths that are presently under investigation. Nicholas’ mother, who spoke with News Five off-camera, is beside herself with grief.
Voice of: Zelmar Nicholas, Mother of Deceased
“I have eight kids and I raise all of them in a spiritual home, I am a Christian person and only God is giving me the strength right now to go through this and I know he will be there for me and whatever happened, I wasn’t there with him. I don’t know what he went to do or anything. I cannot watch them [24/7], I have to work, so I try my best to raise my kids them in the fair and merciful side of God.”
Admittedly, Shamar Nicholas has had prior run-ins with the police. His father attested to previous incidents where he has had to be disciplined for running afoul of the law. Phillip Nicholas, in rejecting the police’s version, has his own theory of what transpired.
Phillip Nicholas
“We got wahn thing because I use to work with police and security for eighteen years. We got wahn thing weh yoh call cover your own a*s. If wahn man pull wahn gun pan yoh and yoh shot ahn, put wahn knife eena ih hand, put something pan ahn fi cover yohself. Dat da weh gaan on right deh with my son. Dehn mussi just tell he wahn man with such color hat deh pan di radio and he wake up and hyah that and jump up, “Oh, bally have blue hat!” Pow, pow, pow and kill my son and that justifiable.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.
