Police Investigating Fatal Shooting of 18-Year-Old in Belize City

Police are investigating the murder of eighteen-year-old Ewart Josiah Hernandez Junior, who was shot in Belize City on Monday afternoon.  The shooting happened at around one-fifteen in the Swift Hall parking lot. Police say Hernandez was on a motorcycle when he was approached by two men. One of them reportedly fired a single shot before both fled the area.

Hernandez was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at one-thirty-two.  Investigators recovered one expended casing from the parking lot and collected a blood sample from the scene. Two people have since been detained for questioning, but no charges have been announced.  There have been reports that Hernandez was robbed of a gold chain shortly before he was killed. Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith says investigators have not found evidence to confirm that account.

Stacy Smith, Assistant Superintendent of Police: “Partridge Street when he stopped on the side of the road and remained on his motorcycle. Some minutes later he was approached by two male persons and one of those male persons produced a firearm and fired a single shot which struck Hernandez. Police were able to apprehend a male person who matched the description of one of the suspects and that person remains in detention as police investigation continues. No motive has been established so far.”

Reporter: There are reports that he had a chain on him that was possibly taken off his person ? 

Stacy Smith, Assistant Superintendent of Police:  “That is not information that is in my possession I will have to make inquiries. As you may know there are police cameras all over Belize City and in other parts of the country and based on what was seen on those cameras certain course of action was taken. I want to assure everybody that police operation will be done in the confines of the law as the investigation continues. The person that is in police’s custody is someone that is known to police. Mr. Hernandez is not particularly known to police.”

Police have not disclosed a motive for the killing or said whether Hernandez knew his attackers. Investigators are reviewing the information gathered so far and are asking anyone who witnessed the shooting, or who may know what led to it, to contact the police.

The two detained individuals remain under investigation