Jahmy Belgrave Gunned Down on East Canal

Tonight, a Belize City family is grappling with heartbreak after the life of twenty-eight-year-old Jahmy Belgrave was cut short in a hail of bullets. It happened right here on East Canal; in front of a home he often visited. Belgrave was a father of three, with another baby on the way. Friends say he had recently returned from San Pedro, hoping to leave behind threats tied to his past and start fresh. But despite those efforts, Jahmy became the latest victim of gun violence, a tragedy he had warned his younger relatives to steer clear of. News Five’s Paul Lopez has the story.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

The family of twenty-eight-year-old Jahmy Belgrave is grieving his death, after a gunman targeted him on East Canal. Belgrave was shot in front of a residence he often visited, a location his sister says he avoided for a long time after receiving death threats.

 

Voice of: Sister of Deceased

“He normally comes here in the evening to visit his children. He recently came back from San Pedro because he relocated because of the issues he was having with some of once friends. So he came back to Belize City and he normally comes in the evening to pick up his kids and drop them off when their mother comes.”

 

Belgrave returned to Belize City three weeks ago, because his plans to relocate and earn an income on Ambergris Caye did not materialize.

  

Voice of: Sister of Deceased

“Yesterday evening they caught him off guard because he was looking upstairs talking to his daughter and telling her to come down. Apparently, he was taking his clothes to wash and that is when the whole ordeal happened.”

The gunman emerged from a neighboring property and opened fire at Belgrave, causing his fatal injuries. The father of three has a fourth child on the way. He also has been linked to George Street and has a history of run-ins with the law.

 

Voice of: Sister of Deceased

“He had issues with some of the guys he once call friend.”

 

Paul Lopez

“Do you thing his death stems from that?”

 

Voice of: Sister of Deceased

“Yes it did and he did not want this. My brother relocated because of all the issues and the threats and throw phrase and the things. He moved and went to San Pedro. He could not make it out there because whenever he worked the police go and make bad for him because of his reputation and past life. And whenever he tried to do anything he had to pay them to survive and you know San Pedro is expensive. He decided to come back like two to three weeks ago.”

 

Paul Lopez

“Is it that he was trying to move away from his life in the past?”

 

Voice of: Sister of Deceased

“Yes, he did. He wanted more for his kids. Apparently he was suppose to rent a two-bedroom house today so that he could have his kids with him, because they are his all.”

 

According to Belgraves’ sister, he was aware that the life he led was not ideal. She says he started looking at life with a clearer perspective and was urging his younger male relatives to steer clear of the streets, warning them about where that path could lead. Ironically, he fell victim to gun violence and became an example of that tragic end he spoke about.

 

Voice of: Sister of Deceased

“He used his experience and life and mistakes to mold his brothers and nephews to not make that same mistake he made. He constantly had talks and said, “you see how your uncle is”, “you see how your brother is”, this is not the life. You won’t be able to do this and that. So, even though he know he made mistakes, he did not want that for his nephews nor his brothers.”

 

Paul Lopez

“One of the questions people ask is how does your life end up this way? What is your response to that, because you have seen throughout his life. How?”

Voice of: Sister of Deceased

“I don’t even know how, how, I don’t know.”

 

What she is certain of, though, is that despite his past, he didn’t deserve to die the way he did. Police are investigating and they are yet to identify a suspect. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.