Murder in Belize City New Year’s Eve: Akeem Welch is victim

Akeem Welch

While the country was preparing to welcome 2022, the occasion was ruined for one family whose loved one was gunned down on the lane across from his home in Belize City. News Five’s Marion Ali has the details of the last recorded murder of 2021, the one that claimed the life of Akeem Welch.

Marion Ali, Reporting

Thirty-three-year-old Akeem Welch had just left home on Rivero Street where his other siblings were gathered on Friday night, in anticipation of the New Year. But, their plans were dashed when gunshots rang out sometime around eight-forty p.m., on Waight Street – a street that runs parallel to where they live.

Kywanna Welch

Kywanna Welch, Sister of deceased

“We lef he da front ya dih drink wid my cousin and ih friends. We were upstairs like quarter to nine when we hear about six shots.”

The Welch family thought that because of the time of year, the blasts they heard were firecrackers. They soon found out that not only was it a murder that was just committed, but that the victim was one of them.

Kywanna Welch

“We dih seh maybe dehn bwai dih test dehn gun cause yoh know dehn usually beat shot fi New Year’s eve, not knowing my bredda in law kohn and seh man down. Soh I she mek I peep tru my window and when I look, I see lone Police lights. Soh I dih tell my ma somebody mussi get shot. Running on the scene, my bredda mi done eena the police truck.”

Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero

Sr Supt. Hilberto Romero, Deputy Head, National Crimes Investigations Branch

Police responded to shots fired on Waight Street, Belize City. Upon their arrival, they saw the motionless body of Akeem Welch, thirty-three year-old Belizean labourer of Rivero Street, and a motorcycle was seen on the street. Investigations revealed he was at a yard and he left. Shortly thereafter, shots were heard, and he received injuries to the body.”

Welch was pronounced dead upon his arrival minutes later at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. While the Police have no suspects or motive for the killing, Welch’s family believes Akeems’s killing was premised on his other siblings’ affiliations.

Kiwanna Welch

“He got ih two younger lee bredda dehn weh heng wid different sides and maybe da ih bredda dehn mi want but, memba (if) yoh cyaa ketch Harry yoh ketch ih shut.”

Police have taken statements and are gathering information in an effort to make an arrest. Marion Ali reporting for News Five.