Murder in Orange Walk; 2 minors injured
Leon Richard
A barrage of bullets was unleashed on four persons on Monday night in Orange Walk Town. One died on the spot, two minors were injured and the other had just stepped away. The gunman simply walked into the house where the group was and fired as many as six shots. News Five’s Andrea Polanco reports.
Andrea Polanco, Reporting
Shortly before nine on Monday night, a lone gunman walked into this home on Royal Palm Street in Orange Walk Town and fired a number of bullets breaking up a regular social among four men who were watching a movie on this small television set. 
Twenty-six year old Leon Richard August was fatally shot. The remainder of the bullets found their mark on thirteen year old student, Joaquin Perez and fourteen year old Juan Cardenas. The fourth man, by the sheer luck escaped unhurt when he entered this room prior to the shooting:
Voice of: Relative of Leon August
“Me and my cousin and two youth mi di watch some dvd and thing and couple seconds after I get up and gone eena di room and then gun shot start ring out thing.”
Andrea Polanco
“How many gun shots more or less?”
Voice of: Relative of Leon August
“Bout six to seven. When I peep right when I hear the gunshots I jump inna the adjoining room the next room and When I peep out I si my family pahn the ground done look like ih dead pahn the spot, the next one behind ah shot eena fi he neck and when I come out more I si the next one eena bathroom he lay down pahn ih back to.”
Andrea Polanco
“Suh you neva hear no argument, nobody nuh say nothing when deh come een?”
Voice of: Relative of Leon August
“No argument, nothing. The young bwai just halla fu me di tell me that somebody come. As he halla ‘C somebody’ shots start ring out rapid. Mussie bout seven shots.”
Andrea Polanco
Andrea Polanco
“Suh the person just walk straight up eena di house?”
Voice of: Relative of Leon August
“Right by mussie the door deh. I neva really si. I nuh even si the person cause I mi deh way eena di room.”
Andrea Polanco
“So apparently deh neva know that you deh een side ah the house?”
Voice of: Relative of Leon August
“Deh nuh know I deh een deh. I mi just get up bout four to five seconds. Bout four to five seconds, not even six seconds.”
Andrea Polanco
“Suh, this was a very close one fi yuh?”
Voice of: Relative of Leon August
“Well dah suh it go, dah the streets this.”
John August
The blood stains on the chair in the living room mark where August and a minor were sitting. The floor of the living room is still stained with August’s blood, the area where it is believed that he took his last breath. The other minor was discovered wounded inside this nearby bathroom. But John August says he doesn’t believe the bullets weren’t intended his son:
John August, Father of Leon August
“Weh we get fuh understand, deh say dah two bwai weh heng dah the house deh mi want and he gone deh at the same time mussie gone play game or watch dvd like weh mi other nephew tell mi; when this person reach deh and just do weh ih mi have to do.”
Andrea Polanco
“Okay, so he wasn’t the intended target?”
John August
“I don’t think so. Like weh I tell the other news people deh the only problem my son mi got dah wah drinking problem and he only wah drink when he got money.”
Andrea Polanco
Joaquin Perez
“So how many gun shots did he receive Mr. August and to which part of his body?”
John August
“Up to now I still nuh know some say ih get three, some say ih get four but I nuh know the closest I get to the body dah right yah now.”
Andrea Polanco
“They’re speculating that he was shot in the head. Have you heard anything about that?”
John August
“No. I hear one in the neck, I think one in the face, one in the chest and one in the stomach.”
Andrea Polanco
“So as far as you know, he died on the spot or was he able to talk after?”
Juan Cardenas
John August
“Well from the moment deh tell me that I neva wah tell my wife. It’s right pahn the spot he dead mien. Mi other nephew tell me that all he could ah mi si dah wah pile ah blood di come through ih mouth, that dah mi di last weh he mi di breathe nuh.”
The two minors remain hospitalized. Joaquin Perez, is in the KHMH recovering, while Juan Cardenas, remains in a critical but stable condition at the Northern Regional Hospital.
Maria Perez, Mother of Joaquin Perez
“They shot him here and one more right here in his shoulder that is where they shot him and he has the bullet here.”
Andrea Polanco
“So in total how many shots he received?”
Maria Perez
Maria Perez
“He received two shots but I don’t know how it happened because I was at home sleeping when he arrived last night. It didn’t happen at my house, it happened at his friend’s place.”
Andrea Polanco
“So he got up from there after he was shot and still made it over to his house?”
Maria Perez
“Yes he said he has no idea how he ran all the way home but he did and when he got home I saw him all bloody. The blood was spurting out and he had to put his finger to stop the flow of blood.”
Andrea Polanco
“So what is his condition at this time?”
Maria Perez
“Well thank God he is doing better and he is recovering but they won’t be able to take out the bullet that entered because only one went in.”
Angel Cardenas
Angel Cardenas, Father of Juan Cardenas
“He was shot on his back and I think he has another bullet here. The one that hit him in the back caused his lungs to start to get filled with blood. They had to insert a tube to start to pump the blood out of his lungs. Right now I would say he is critical but stable because he is talking. We haven’t really talked to the doctor as yet, but yes the bullet is in him as they haven’t taken it out as yet. What they are trying to do is to stabilize the lungs so that it can stop taking fluid into it because that will cause him to drown.”
Orange Walk police have detained one man with this latest murder. Reports are that the man in question was recently released on bail on a charge of conspiracy to commit murder. Reporting for News Five, I’m Andrea Polanco.
This is happening because this pm took all the criminals from Belize and put them all over the country another Brits idea of this useless impotent pm.
Prime Minister so busy with his 9th amendment that he nuh di worry who dead…
Rod, why would the PM do that. People are free to go where they want. We don’t even know the details yet and you are already blaming PM. Now, i blame PM for certain things too but I think you have a problem; Go get an education so you can think about things more rationally. Best wishes.
Pkease law enforcement leaders and courts of Belize, stop letting people go out on bail who have committed serious crimes. This alleged killer and gun man was already arrested and charged with attempted murder, why was he on the street. Please enact tougher laws and save lives.
rt you need to reasd the news idiot you no know the pm take all the gang members out a jail and disburse them to different districts read idiot read before you talk i am so sick of you people coming on here just talking rubbish read the news or come to belize and experience it you lackey
Give the killerafair and impartial conviction, then HANG HIM HIGH.
Death for death must be our rule to end the terrible violence in Belize. Don’t give anyone a chance to killtwice.
Rt in Vegas might not be watching the news but I do agree with him that you, rod, need to make rational comments. Does any of your comments not blame the PM.?? Do you Blame PM for your stupidity? for making simple look stupid. Come on mein lets here something good from you, Dont be judge and jury you Dum@55
WE ALL NEED TO GET THE PRIME MINSTER OUT HE IS INCOMPETENT TO RUN A COUNTRY , HE NEED TO BE OUT AND OUT FOR GOOD , HIS PARTY SHOULD BE ASHAME OF HIM
If this PM continue been impotent on finding a solution to this crime situation,it’s going to spread to all the other districts. Then he’s going to have a real problem.
People, the PM had nothing to do with the crime! Why are u guys blaming him? Criminal activity takes place often in the most secure establishments at times. Like a courtroom, but that doesn’t mean that the judge or bailiff, or security personnel are to blame! This incident is an unfortunate one I agree, perhaps in general, the government could do more to address these crimes yes, however it will take not only power or aid from government to stop crimes, but we need to step up our game as citizens and be more vigilant and help the authorities to be more successful. Not all crimes can be stopped, but as citizens when we see a potential crime being organized we should be more vigilant and address the situation with caution of course!
PRINCE MICHAELS: No one isn’t going to report any crime with no laws in place to protect them would you?Furthermore i stand by what i have stated.The Pm has failed the Belizean people in every aspect.Crimes,jobs i can go on.So let’s stop acting like everything is fine.No one can’t stop every crime that will be committed but at least put some laws in place to curb crimes.
i blaming the whole government if they wasn’t so busy doing their own thing benefiting themselves, family, and friends and started thinking about building or making youth programs to get the youth off the streets and to better themselves…
By the way Mr beaza was born and raised in Orange Walk, the PM did not relocate him here
Crime is everybody problem however there are those of us who can do something about it and just sit idly by. The problem begins and home and matures on the streets when a child can not go to school because his parents are broke and the dont have for school fees, books or to even feed them. Its happens because politician misappropriate the peoples money, because public officer do not do their jobs as required, because lawyers are always find excuses for dilinquents, because courts uphold ridiculos claims, because the prison does not work, because the teacher just do an 8 to 5 job, because we do not hold our lead accountable and put in incompetent leaders and sell our votes for the love of the goddamn dollar.