Category: Crime

On Saturday, Hattieville resident Tyrel Thomas was tragically shot and killed by three men who reportedly mistook him for someone else. Thomas was installing surveillance equipment at a home in another part of the village when he was ambushed. Known for his dedication to community service, the electrician and former village councilor was also working on refurbishing a local park. Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano with the story.

 

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

A well-known and beloved Hattieville resident, licensed electrician Tyrel Thomas, also known as Tyrel Requena, was tragically gunned down on Saturday afternoon. He was installing a camera system in the Windmill area of the village when the deadly shooting occurred. Thomas was on the job with his goddaughter when they came under fire.

 

Tyra Thomas, Sister of Deceased 

“All I can say, that was definitely mistaken identity.  He went to install a camera at this house and that was it.  He went to do what he loved to do.  He went to do his work, you know.  He was definitely not the intended target.”

 

Thomas was on a ladder outside the bungalow when three men reportedly appeared from a nearby overgrown area. They approached the property and unleashed a hail of bullets in his direction. The spot where he stood on the ladder is now marked with bullet holes.

 

ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“We have several persons in custody and no one has been charged at this time.”

 

Reporter

“Is he collateral damage in a gang war and was the target someone else?”

 

Hilberto Romero

“Yes. We have information that the intended target was someone else.  There were three persons there and two of them got shot.”

 

Tyra Thomas was at a store in Hattieville when she received the news about the deadly attack on her brother.

 

Tyra Thomas

“I was in J Mall and one of my uncles stopped me and he asked me if da true Tyrel get shot.  And I da like no.”

 

Unbeknownst to Tyra, her sibling and his goddaughter had already been rushed to the KHMH.

 

Tyra Thomas

“It still feels surreal.  I went to sleep last night and I got up believing that it was a dream.  So honestly, it feels surreal.  We have honestly not come to the terms of it. He’s a licensed electrician, he worked at BATSUB for twenty-five years. As a matter of fact, he had recently received his award of service, a big accomplishment for him.  That was literally him.  Tyrel would you have any kind of electrical job, everybody knows Tyrel will be willing to assist.”

 

Could Thomas’ death be a gang-related attack targeting the person who hired him to install the surveillance equipment?

 

ACP Hilberto Romero

“Yes, we have some information that it’s related to that, yes.”

 

Reporter

“Do you know the motive for why they were after that other guy?”

 

Hilberto Romero

“The same rivalry between the two groups in Belize City.”

 

These two groups have been clashing for a while, but the violence has surged since Brandon Baptist’s death a few weeks ago. Isani Cayetano for News Five.

On Wednesday, chaos broke out at the Magistrate’s Court in Punta Gorda when prisoner Mason Kelly attacked Magistrate Sashawna Jody-Ann Thompson. Kelly, who has a history of violent crimes, including attempted murder and assault, admitted to throwing a fan during the session but denies the aggravated assault charge. This incident highlights the need for better security during court sessions. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams provided more details on the situation.

 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“I have said before that there is a need for us to have a discourse about respect. When I was assaulted in Orange Walk, people made a whole issue about it. If you assault the commissioner of police while he’s working then who are you not going to assault? If you assault a magistrate who sits on a bench dispensing justice, then who are you not going to assault? And the police is on top of the matter. I believe the magistrate would have made a report, and the police is going to deal with it. And I hope that when the matter goes before The court deals with it adequately. It cannot be that we have people who are assaulting police, magistrates, journalists, and so forth, when we’re doing our work and they just get a slap on the wrist and go home. We must send a strong signal that is going to serve as a deterrent to anybody who may think that they can do these kind of acts and get away with it.”

 

Reporter

“But there are reports that the man was, is mentally ill. In that case, what then happens?”

 

Chester Williams

“If he’s mentally ill, then he still goes to prison, and then the prison is going to arrange for him to get the cure that he needs to be able to assist him. But that should not be a justification, no. We are stretched really thin. We also have to look at the high court for security. We do have a number of judges who llack security and I had instructed  Mr. Romero to provide security for those judges. That is going to take another eight police officers out of the operations to provide security for judges. But the security of the judges is important. We must ensure that our judges who are  performing such duty in our high courts that they get the level of security that they deserve. So we’re doing as best as we can to make sure that they’re safe as well.”

 

Gang activity has surged since the death of Brandon Baptist in late January. Baptist, a known gang member, was killed during a football match at Marion Jones Stadium. On February eighteenth, Akeem Smith was targeted by gunmen while returning from a fishing trip but managed to escape serious injury by jumping into the water. The next day, Leon Gray and Emmett Baptist were shot at near Newtown Barracks. Gray was hit but has since been treated and released from K.H.M.H. Police have linked both incidents to gang activity. Baptist’s death was ruled self-defense, prompting his mother to demand justice for her son. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams discussed the police’s strategy to address the situation today.

 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Yes, we do have have uptick in gang activity and over the past two weeks following the death of Brandon Baptist we we have seen that the threat level in Belize City has increased and we have also deployed additional police officers on the grounds and we’re conducting daily operations in the Martins here and then we saw with last weekend where came into the free when it was alleged that they had, they were responsible for the shooting at Akeem Smith, that have now stretched our operations to the north side. Again, we don’t want to leave any area open for gangs to be able to execute the intended acts. And so we’re doing as best as we can to contain the gang violence for now.  I empathize with the mother and I could just imagine what she’s going through as a mother. I can’t say nothing bad about her. She has always been respectful to me. Brandon Baptist  was, I wouldn’t say a friend, but a very close ally. He works extremely closely with us. When we have issues in the BLC era, he was one of the go to person that we could have go to, and he would always work with us. And I was, I am extremely grateful for the support that he had given to the police during his time. I wish it was not a matter of self defense, indeed. I, Jules knows this. Him and I spoke about this. But, if the DPP, in her wisdom, and I cannot I don’t argue with what the DPP is saying because as a liar, I see myself too that there is a very strong element of self-defense. In the with the presence of that  there’s little to nothing that we will be able to do. I just have to continue to pray for her and hope that she gets the help and support that she need to overcome the pain associated with her loss and I know yes, I’ve not gone to see her and that’s because I don’t, I’m at a loss of words to tell her. I am giving her time to grieve, and when I think it’s an appropriate time, then I’ll go and see her and speak to her.”

 

Reporter

“Can you explain why, as a matter of law though, with this rivalry among these different groups, doesn’t that point to a general motive that you have that rivalry if I see you and you try to attack me, then the intent of murder to kill them would be there?”

 

Chester Williams

“The person who actually is a gunman is not a gang member. That’s the truth. So he’s not a person who is in the gang world. He happened to have been there, yes. But he’s not a gang member, no.”

 

Police have arrested and charged 28-year-old Ozen Rhaburn for the murder of Simon Arana Junior Arana, a 23-year-old carpentry teacher from Hope Creek Village, was shot and killed outside his home on the night of February 10th. Initial reports suggest he was socializing when gunshots rang out, leading to his tragic death. Today, Rhaburn, a fisherman from the Belize District, was formally charged with abetment to commit murder and discharging a firearm in public.

 

Early this morning, thirty-six-year-old Leon Gray was shot while walking near the Princess Hotel and Casino with another man. Police report that Gray and thirty-seven-year-old Emmeth Baptist were on Newtown Barracks around 2:45 a.m. when two men got out of a parked car and opened fire, hitting Gray. He has since been treated and released from K.H.M.H. This incident follows a Saturday assault that injured Akeem Smith. Smith and three others were returning from a trip at sea when two gunmen ambushed them near the Belize City Swing Bridge. Police are now implementing a special operation to prevent retaliation. These shootings come on the heels of the January thirty-first death of thirty-nine-year-old Brandon Baptist at the Marion Jones Complex. Smith and Gray are reportedly members of the same gang, while Baptist was linked to a rival gang.

On Saturday evening, a man was shot in downtown Belize City, near the Belize City Swing Bridge. Thirty-two-year-old fisherman Akeem Smith and three others had just returned from a sea trip. As their boat approached some riverside buildings, two men on a ledge opened fire on them. The shooters had hidden on the cement ledge over the river, waiting for the group to pass. Smith and his companions managed to jump into the river, avoiding serious injury. Today, A.C.P. Hilberto Romero informed the media that several people have been detained for questioning. He also mentioned that measures are in place to prevent any retaliation.

 

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“On Saturday, 15th of February 2025 police responded to a shooting incident not from streets in Belize City.  On arrival, they learned that one person had been shot and taken to the cage image for treatment.  Checks are made at the K.H.M.H where police found Akeem Smith with gunshot injuries. Information is that Smith was along with three other male persons in a boat in the river when two male persons who were on the concrete deck fired several shots towards their direction, causing the injuries to Smith. Smith was treated and has since been released from the cage in which we have several persons in custody in regards to the shooting for questioning. There is an ongoing operation at this time to try and prevent any retaliation. Several patrols in the area as well.”

 

Marion Ali

“Can you say what the motive of this attack was?”

 

A.C.P Hilberto Romero

“This is a result of gang rivalry in the city.”