Police Detain Two After Deadly Santa Elena Shooting

A Friday night shooting just steps from home has left a Santa Elena family grieving and searching for answers. Police say the victim was gunned down in a brazen attack, and while investigators have detained two suspects and identified a possible motive, relatives are still trying to understand why anyone would target a man they describe as quiet and hardworking. Tonight, as police continue to piece together the moments leading up to the fatal shooting, his family is left to mourn a sudden and painful loss. News Five’s Britney Gordon reports.

 

Paula Dawson, Aunt of Deceased

“Absolutely a lack of the value of life in Belize and I don’t know. We’ve lost our sense of humanity.”

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

“Today a community in Santa Elena remains shaken after a shooting led to the murder of thirty-three-year-old Ricky Dawson. According to reports, the construction worker arrived home around eight-twenty p.m. when he received a phone call. Upon taking that phone call, a black SUV reportedly  drove up beside him and someone from within that vehicle fired shots within that direction, leading to his fatal injuries. Around eight forty-five p.m. police found his body approximately one hundred yards away from his home with a broken leg and gunshot injuries. Today police are still piecing together what could have led to the brutal attack.”

 

ACP Hilberto Romero, Head, National Crime Investigation Branch

“Information is that Dawson was in the area of his house when a vehicle arrived and a person came out, firing several shots in his direction, leading to his fatal injuries. Police have two suspects in custody in relation to this murder.”

 

Reporter

“Is he known to police?”

 

ACP Hilberto Romero

“Yes he’s known to police.”

 

Reporter

“Police believe this is connected to any other incident?”

 

ACP Hilberto Romero

“No, we do not believe it is connected to no other incident. We believe it is drug related.”

 

Police detained two suspects this morning and are now reviewing surveillance footage from the area. ACP Hilberto Romero says investigators are looking at drugs as a possible motive, but Ricky’s family says his killing came as a shock. His aunt, Paula Dawson, says it was Ricky’s own brother who made the heartbreaking discovery.

 

Paula Dawson, Aunt of Deceased

“His older brother came home and was reversing into the yard and saw him lying already shot. But before that his wife had called him and said that she heard gunshots in the area and she couldn’t get in touch with him. After that was just chaos. Everyone was notified and we got here almost in contingent with the mobile.”

 

Residents of the Santa Cruz community describe Dawson as a respectful, soft-spoken individual and say they were deeply saddened by his violent death. His aunt remembers him as a kindhearted and generous man who was devoted to his nine-year-old daughter.

 

Paula Dawson

“He is one of the most respectful and kind-hearted people you could ever come across. He has helped countless people. He gives sometimes without even asking. He’s very quiet. He’s not a partygoer. He doesn’t drink, smoke or go out to party. And I can tell you this is the closest that we have been hit with our immediate family. It’s needless to say that a part of our foundation is broken.”

 

Dawson worked as a construction contractor and spent his free time racing horses. Now, his family is mourning the loss of a man who will no longer chase those passions or be there for his young daughter. Police have detained two men and are looking at a possible drug-related motive, but the investigation remains open and no arrests have been made. 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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