Deadly Gunfire Cuts Short Jahiem Sanchez’s New Beginning

Two cousins, one grieving family and just over a week between their deaths. Twenty-one-year-old Jaheim Sanchez became Belize City’s latest victim of gun violence when someone shot him on T Street Wednesday night. His death comes as the family continues to mourn Brianna Myvett. Sanchez’s mother says he had been making positive changes and trying to rebuild his life, making his sudden death even harder to accept. News Five’s Britney Gordon has the story.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Three months after walking out of prison, Jaheim Sanchez was working toward a fresh start. That journey ended Wednesday night when two gunmen reportedly opened fire along T Street in Belize City. Sanchez and another man were socializing on a parked vehicle when the shooters approached on a motorcycle. The twenty-one-year-old was killed, while his companion was injured. Now, Sanchez’s mother, Shanice Ysaguirre, is reeling from the violent loss of her son.

 

Voice of: Shanice Ysaguirre, Mother of Deceased

“He said was, “Jaheim shot.” And I start to cry and me and he got into the car. Excuse me, and I start to cry. And we reach hospital, and when I reach hospital, I start to pray that tha just one inna he hand or inna he foot, so that he no dead. When I gone inside, the doctor, they tell me they done operate pan he and make I come outside. So I gone outside and I stand up outside, and then the CIB come outside and tell me they done clean up ah. So I said, miss, why ney di clean up ah? You di talk to me like if my son dead. She say, yes miss. your son dead from he reach.”

 

Sanchez’s troubles with the law began in February, when police reportedly recovered a nine-millimeter pistol from his home during a shooting investigation. Another man was later charged in connection with that incident. Once released, Sanchez relocated and began working toward a fresh start.

 

Voice of: Shanice Ysaguirre

“He tell we he no got no friend like that because when he gone da jail, nobody never look out fi he like that. And only me and my friends ney and my gentleman. So he said, ma I need to find friends weh want see me uplift. I mi really proud of him when he call around here because the lee boy ney weh he started hanging with, I nah tell you no lie, da noh like they treat her bad or throw ah bad face. They find a job for ah and make sure he gone work. They make sure he move from me and end up di rent ih own spot. But from he small, he just can’t go far from me.”

 

Sanchez’s murder has added to the grief of a family already reeling from the recent loss of his cousin, Brianna Myvett, who was killed just over a week ago. Still mourning the recent loss of her son, Ysaguirre attended Myvett’s funeral today in Belize City.

 

Voice of: Shanice Ysaguirre

“It rough because da me and he, we gone when Brianna get shot. Me and he, he left from work and he come and say, ma, you hear Brianna get shot? I tell him yes because they young alike, you understand me? And when we go on family trips, Da him and Bri hang out with Bri brother. So he say ma, we have to go to Aunt Mel. We gone to Aunt Mel. And like, when he say he cousin like he just get weak, weak, weak, weak, weak, and he start to cry. And ney hug up ah. I gone da morgue yesterday and I tell Bri, take care of my baby. My baby gone from me too quick.”

 

Sanchez loved dancing, sports and his family. His mother says he was rebuilding his life and improving his home. Now, she wants investigators to find those responsible for his murder. Britney Gordon for News Five.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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