Outrage Following Murder of 15-Year-Old Eric David Reyes

Public outrage is mounting in Belize City following the tragic shooting death of 15-year-old Eric David Reyes, who was killed late Monday night in front of his home on Park Street.

According to initial reports, Reyes was riding his bicycle home when gunshots rang out. He was later found motionless on the street and transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Reyes, who lived with his paralyzed mother, had previously attended Saint Ignatius Primary School but was not enrolled in school at the time of his death.

The Belize Police Department responded to the tragedy with a formal statement, extending condolences to Reyes’ family and reiterating their “zero-tolerance stance against violence in our communities.”

Many Belizeans took to social media to voice their concern at yet another murder in the Old Capital. One Facebook user responded to the Department’s statement: “You could condemn and say a lot of useless stuff but if they really wanted to stop this they could, they have the power but not the balls to do it.”

Reyes is the third person to be murdered in Belize City in less than week.