20-year-old found dead with multiple gunshot wounds in Belize

Belize: A 20-year-old male was shot to death on Wednesday night, with as many as ten gunshot injuries observed on his body. According to the police, the deceased has been identified as Carlos Canelo, and the incident took place in Orange Walk Town.

The Monkey River Street resident was allegedly talking to a female friend on Rio Grande Street a few minutes before he was ambushed as he entered his yard. The young man was reportedly an avid basketball and football athlete, as confirmed by Mayor Ladrick Shepherd.

The Mayor said that the victim was one of the most exciting and talented players, and he used to play on the under-13 team and also on the under-16 team. "We even took him to the nationals with us to participate in a tournament in Belmopan," he added.

Calling the incident unfortunate, Mayor Shepherd said that he will be taking all the necessary actions required to catch the suspect.

The victim was said to be coming back from a friend's house on Rio Grande Street, and as he entered his house through the back gate, an unidentified gunman emerged and opened fire, striking Canelo several times in the chest, head, arm, and left leg. Canelo succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

Subsequently, his body was transported to the morgue at the Northern Regional Hospital. Also, the police officials discovered several expended .40 caliber shell casings at the location of the shooting.

In addition to this, a relative of the victim said that she was inside her house located just a stone's throw away from where the incident took place, but in fear for her life and the thickness of the gun smoke outside the window, she was unable to see where Canelo's killer emerged from. 

She also said that he was lodging with her for only a few months, but he had previously mentioned that he had gotten into some problems with certain people living in the area. Canelo is the second person to be shot and killed in this area in just over a month.

A 60-year-old Norman Gillett was also shot and killed walking into his yard on July 1st on Monkey River Street, which is one house away from where Canelo was targeted.

While one person was charged in connection to Gillett's murder, police are now searching for Canelo's murderer. 

The incident has left the community shocked, with people calling the suspect heartless and urging the authorities to take action at the earliest and find the killer. 

Through Facebook, a user named Margeret wrote, "These murderers think they have rights and strategies. Watch what will happen to them in the near future when God exposes them and exacts justice upon them," while another said, "Had to be a friend or someone who was monitoring him because how they know he goes through the back gate."