Gunfire Near Grace Primary Shocks Students, Leaves One Injured

Terrifying moments unfolded at Grace Primary School in Belize City this morning, where upper school students were attending summer classes. Dozens of shots rang out just outside their classroom, forcing both students and teachers to scramble for cover. In the chaos, thirty-one-year-old Andre Kerr was found injured inside his vehicle and rushed to the hospital. The school quickly suspended classes for the day as the community grappled with the shock. News Five’s Paul Lopez was on the scene shortly after the incident and brings us this report.

 

This morning, chaos erupted just steps away from Grace Primary School on Faber’s Road Extension, as more than twenty gunshots shattered the calm. What unfolded was a chilling reminder of the escalating gang tensions gripping parts of Belize City, a near-fatal attack that left students, teachers, and residents shaken.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

“Summer classes were in session at Grace Primary School this morning when shots rang out a few feet away. In the aftermath a Belize city resident laid injured inside his vehicle, while students were left traumatized.”

 

The shooting victim has been identified as thirty-one-year-old Andre Kerr. In the wake of the gunfire, the administration at Grace Primary didn’t hesitate. Acting swiftly, they suspended classes and immediately called on parents to pick up their children. It was a tense and emotional scene, as families rushed to the compound, shaken but grateful their loved ones were safe. We spoke with the grandfather of a nine-year-old student who asked to remain anonymous.

 

 

Voice of: Grandfather of Student

“It is kind of scary to know we have our kids coming to school and something like this happened in front of the school. Mein, these guys need to hold it down. Mein this really upset me because this area it’s a lot of kids and these guys have to watch what they are doing. Anybody could have been in this cross fire. It is just a random shooting and a lot of shots. Look how much shells on the ground that the police is looking at.”

 

 

 

The student’s grandfather also witnessed parts of the shooting incident as it unfolded.

 

Voice of: Grandfather of Student

“This morning I came and brought my granddaughter to school and on my way back I went over there by the Chinese and I heard an amount of shots and when I looked back I saw this brown car run underneath that bus. So immediately I spun around and came back and when I came back, two or three guys were full of blood inside the vehicle and a motorcycle take off up Fabers Road with speed. I guess that was the gunman nuh. Well when I heard the shot the shot and I spin around and I see the vicinity of where the car ran underneath the bus I already knew that my granddaughter was already in class. But I came back to see what happened, because bullet nuh have no name and they could be flying around all over the place, mien I worried about my granddaughter. Immediately I came back to see what was going on.”

 

Witnesses near Grace Primary School said the gunfire sounded like a truck using jake brakes. They saw two men speeding away on a motorcycle. The car Andre Kerr was in was riddled with bullet holes in the windshield and driver’s window. After being shot in the eye, shoulder, and arm, Kerr crashed into the back of a city bus. Police found at least twenty-two shell casings at the scene and are still piecing together what happened.

 

Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police

“Kerr was subsequently transported to the hospital and he is admitted in a stable condition. I want to add that the scene was processed and we have retrieved several expended shell casings. The motorcycle used in the scene was also recovered and we are looking for two persons of interest. I also want to add that the shooting appeared to be a targeted attack and we are pursuing all leads to apprehend the suspects.”

 

 

 

Voice of: Grandfather of Student

“It is overwhelming you know. I think lack of parenting is one of the big issues in this country. You can see it is only the youths committing these crimes. Nobody over thirty and forty shooting these guns, lone youths and I guess the youths of today they get away from their parents. In our days when our parents dealt with us it is different that today. I even see it here at the school, the kids have problems with the teacher, instead of the parents come reason with the teacher they come with attitude like they want to beat the teacher. We have to set examples for the youths if we don’t do that we will forever have this kind of problem in this country.”

 

That grandparent contends that there is a need for greater police presence in the area.

 

Dr. Richard Rosado

“My officers are working around the clock. We have increased visibility in all those hot spots. We are also monitoring the situation on the ground and conducting targeted operations, especially in those areas of concern. We have also increased police visibility in all those areas of interest.”

 

Authorities are asking those with information that can assist in their investigation to come forward. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.