BREAKING: Luis Marin, 24, shot dead in alleged retaliation attack in Belize

Belize: A man was shot dead around 10 pm in the area of Majestic Alley in Belize, just off North Front Street on Wednesday. The victim has been identified as 24-year-old Luis Marin, and his murder has left his family in shock.  

According to the preliminary investigations, around ten p.m., Marin was hanging out with a family member in his apartment when a man approached and opened fire, fatally wounding Marin. The passersby reported the incident with the police and upon their arrival at the scene around a few minutes later, they found Marin’s lifeless body.  

It is reported that the victim was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, but he was pronounced dead on arrival.  

Investigations further revealed that about an hour before his death, a close family friend with whom he lived in Cotton Tree sent him one last test asking him to be safe.  

She said, “The last message I sent him to tell him to be okay and be good and he said he is good but just sometime later I got the shocking news.” 

Marin was a resident of Cotton Tree, and his homicide comes on the heels of the broad daylight shooting in Belmopan which occurred on Saturday morning, when a gunman leaned out of the window of a white Suburban and fired a total of 13 shots at a black Mazda, injuring one of the passengers. 

Early reports also say that the victim was recently involved in the Saturday’s shooting incident out west and that this could possibly be a case of retaliation. However, the family he grew up with is denying those allegations and said that the young man is innocent.  

“No, they don't know nothing about him, and they should not talk, or they don't know,” said the family member. She also believed that Marin is being framed for a crime he did not commit. 

During the investigation, police also retrieved several expended shells and other evidence from the scene. It is reported that as of now no arrests have been made and police is carrying out the necessary investigations.