A young man left for work and never made it back home. Tonight, relatives say nineteen-year-old Eworth Hernandez, an employee at a Belize City print shop, was the victim of a midday murder on Vernon Street. The shooting happened in front of Swift Hall, sending his family rushing to the KHMH emergency entrance where they struggled to process the news. Police have not yet released details on what led to the gunfire, but shortly after the incident, officers rounded up several men from a neighboring property. Tonight, their grandmother says police got it wrong.
Voice of: Belize City Resident
Voice of: Belize City Resident
“I would want the police to leave my grandchildren alone, because my grandchildren are not even doing what they say. They already have one for a cycle over there. All kind of things they are holding my grandchildren for. They run all the way in the room for the little boy and the little boy, one of them just wake up and one is laying on the bed. They handcuff the two of them. They took four of them, or five.”
Paul Lopez
What they you hear they carry them for?
Voice of: Belize City Resident
“They say they carried them for some murder in Martins. You think your grandchildren they capable of committing such a crime? No, no, no. I nuh seh deh nuh talk deh kind of craziness, but they don’t do those things.”
One Suspect Down, One Still on Police Radar
Police say surveillance footage helped them detain one suspect, but a second individual remains on their radar. ASP Stacy Smith confirmed to News Five that cameras in the area assisted investigators in tracking down the person now in custody. At this point, police have not established a motive. Smith also responded to concerns raised by a resident we spoke with. Here’s what she had to say.
Stacy Smith
ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer
“Police have detained one male person and are seeking another in relation to a shooting incident which resulted in the murder of eighteen-year-old Ewart Hernandez or Lord’s Bank Village. The investigation commenced today at around 1:15 p.m., when officers on patrol were alerted to shots being fired on Vernon Street in Belize City. A team of officers responded ot the scene where they observed an injured Mr. Hernandez who was rushed for medical attention. However, he succumbed to the injuries he sustained. What police have been able to establish having reviewed video footage in the area is that Mr. Hernandez was travelling on Vernon Street near the intersection with 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 person and one produced a firearm and fired a single shot which struck Mr. Hernandez. Police were able to detain a male person who matched the description of one of the suspects and that person remains in detention as investigations continues.”
Paul Lopez
“There are complaint from a resident that in the immediate aftermath, an operation rounded up young men from a nearby property. What can you tell us about that operation?”
ASP Stacy Smith
“What I can say is that there are police cameras all over Belize City an in other parts of the country and based on what was seen on those cameras certain actions were taken. I want to assure everybody that police operation will be done within the confines of the law as investigation continues.”
Investigators are yet to establish what exactly Hernandez was doing in the area.
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