15-Year-Old Minor Executed in Dangriga

Joshua Flores

The third murder for the New Year occurred on Wednesday night in Dangriga, and the victim is a fifteen-year-old minor. Joshua Flores was travelling on a dirt road that is known to be gangland, when he was gunned down by one of the persons he was with. Flores is not known to be caught up in the criminal justice system, but officers are on the ground putting the pieces together. News Five’s Duane Moody headed south to find out more.

Wilber Nunez

Wilber Nunez, Coach/Family Friend

“His last words to me were that coach tomorrow morning I wah come early, I wah lead again; I wah get ina shape back coach – we wah do this. When we lef and reach by the town council di man say later peel head and we laugh. Not knowing that mi wah be the last words from dah lee young bwai who I love.”

Those were the last words shared between Coach Wilber Nunez and fifteen-year-old Joshua Flores following basketball practice on Wednesday evening in Dangriga. An hour and a half later, Nunez received the horrific news. The youth had been gunned down a short distance from where he lived in the Back-a-town area of the Culture Capital.
Wilber Nunez

‘I noh wah lie, ih hurt. And I noh imagine what the man parents dehn di go through. And I noh imagine what the people dehn of Dangriga di go through. That coulda mi be my son and if you have a son, that coulda mi be your son.”

Duane Moody

Duane Moody

“I am at the entrance to the Sabal Community here in Dangriga. Flores was riding his bicycle here down this path and about fifty feet from where we’re standing right here, that’s when a gunman opened fire on him.”

The gunman is believed to be one of at least three persons who were along with the fifteen-year-old minor.

Chester Williams

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Police investigation so far reveals that he was in the Back-a-Town are of Dangriga and upon passing a dark area, shots were fired at him, one of which made its mark to his head. He sustained injuries and was rushed to the Southern Regional Hospital where he succumbed to those injuries. From what our investigation is revealing is that he may have had some misunderstanding with some friends of him over a particular item and it was those same friends who might be responsible for his death.”

News Five has been reliably informed that that item is a gun.  Police have been canvassing the area and carried out a raid on an island off the coast of Dangriga. ComPol Chester Williams says that several persons have been detained pending further investigation.

Chester Williams

“We have a number of those persons in custody at this time. We are working on putting the pieces together and hopefully we will be able to lay charges against those who are responsible of this particular murder.”

As a person working along with the youth in the community, Nunez says that Flores was a talented athlete.
Wilber Nunez

“From the first time I encountered Joshua, he stood out because he was of Hispanic decent, but he had that black in him. What we call the black. Young dude, very aggressive, naturally talented and willing fu go that extra mile. At that time he was probably in standard five; dehn had older guys than him and he always stood out. Just his charisma, the way he comes around. I knew what his potential was and I knew that it was hard for a lot of people to deal with him and me coming from such a background and had the similar personality as that youth, I understood how to deal with him. Very talented. He played football and basketball. He even played volleyball; anything that was positive along the line of sports that youth man was involved in. I haven’t slept, I have no appetite; it’s like a wound without a sharp object that cut through yo and I neva expect it to happen to a family member of even to his family. It so hurt. A promising young man wasn’t involved in no gang and the youth man have to lose ih life like that.”

Could the killing have been prevented?

Duane Moody

“Today we did see officers on bicycles in that area. Do you think maybe there needs to be – I know in Belize City we see booths set up in different areas – do you think maybe a booth needs to be set up in that area.”

Chester Williams

“It is good to know that you saw them today in the area on bicycles. But it is a couple hours too late. We need to be more proactive in our response as oppose to reactive.”

Duane Moody for News Five.