Malique Medwood Gunned Down in the City
The gun violence in Belize City continues unabated and tonight, we report on two murders that occurred within hours of each other. Just after seven o’clock on Wednesday night, another Belize City youth was executed. Malique Medwood had just left his home was heading to his sister’s house when he was shot multiple times to the head. The twenty-one-year-old died hours later while receiving treatment at the K.H.M.H. This is yet another member of the Medwood family who has fallen victim to gun violence in the area. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Three shots to the head – Malique was on Ebony Street heading to his sister’s house on Victoria Street when two men on a motorcycle rode up and fired multiple shots at him. Marva Medwood had just gotten off of a phone call with him, when he was shot.
Voice of: Marva Medwood, Sister of Deceased
“My bredda called me after seven and said, “Sis, I di lef from mommy now; I di come.” I say, “Okay bredda.” Ih say, “Come meet me sis cause I really noh want walk di streets.” Ih say, “Come meet me pan yo bike.” I say, “Bredda, I di make tea, bredda. I can’t lef from around the stove.” My bredda say okay then. Ih laugh. Ih say, “Hahaha. Okay sis, I di lef. I di lef now, now, now.” one of my friend deh with me dah my bwai house and she come down the steps and she say, “Marva dehn just shot up yo breda.” I say, “Gial stop play. I just come off of the phone with my bredda.” She say, “Yes gial, dehn just shot up yo bredda.”
Voice of: Sherline Medwood, Mother of Deceased
“By the time my daughter look through the window, she only see people di run and hear footsteps through yah and everybody di go down the street. Ih next bredda run back and say, “Dah Malique get shot.” I run down the steps, I run straight to the barracks deh so and that dah di furthest I stop cause I get heavy. I faint away right on the court when dehn tell me dah he get shot.”
The family has been living behind the barracks for decades – it’s their home– but she says that they have been bullied by gangs in the area for years. Marva says the day of the killing was no different.
Voice of: Marva Medwood
“Every time I pass, I have to pass deh fi go dah my ma. I noh want go all di way around by di football field. Dehn always di dash phrase pan me. Like yesterday dehn wah talk bout, “Dehn tiyad ah we di pass so one ah we have to dead.”
Shamira Medwood
Shamira Medwood, Sister of Deceased
“This dah wah ongoing bullying and because my bredda dehn grow up through yah and dehn get older now, dehn get class as a “Raiders.” If my bredda dah like somebody weh harass unu, ih neva mi wah di walk the street, but everybody got freedom. He walk that street more than one time and dehn harass we, but we noh do nothing about it because we noh involved ina nothing.”
Voice of: Sherline Medwood
“We have three houses, Moya house weh I guess two ah dehn live. Yo have dehn Dougal over yah again dehn dah di next drastic headache. Then yo have the zinc fence right across from the mechanic weh all ah dehn like heng up ina that yard. Lone lotta lee bwai because every evening when I di pass from work dehn deh right ina that yard.”
This is the fourth member of the Medwood family to have been targeted by gunmen. Back in 2012, Malique’s brother, who worked at BWSL, was killed and since then another sibling and the father have been victims. Sherline Medwood says the family is overwhelmed with grief and needs it to stop.
Voice of: Sherline Medwood
“This is the second one because the first one, the young man from WASA back in 2012 dah mi my son di night of ih birthday – right ina my house downstairs dehn kill he. After the one from 2012, dehn pa get shot in ya soh and ih bust out pan the side. Ih bredda get shot ina ih foot. Right now ih still got steel ina ih foot and then now he.”
The family is asking for justice.
Shamira Medwood
“To you weh shoot my bredda, I hope that you noh get no sleep after this and every night you see my bredda face. Ina whatever you do, I pray God noh have no mercy pan fuh unu soul. One thing I got fi say. Unu take my best friend. Unu noh know weh unu do to we. We noh have nowhere fi go. My ma can’t move from through yah and just go somewhere else because ih noh got no next house. And dah like unu di tell wi we can’t walk this block yah beucae unu want run it? Weh dah di crips and bloods fah? Unu even know weh that means?”
Even as the Medwood family is grieving the loss of their loved one, police have picked up two of the Medwood brothers.
Duane Moody for News Five.
