Belize: Mother and disabled son shot dead in Belize city, sparking national outrage

Belize: An elderly woman and her disabled son who was bound on wheelchair were recently killed in Belize city. Police have identified the victims as Evadnie Jones, 66 and her son Luke Jones, 39 who were found in their front yard on Cedar Street on Saturday afternoon. 

According to the reports, residents reported hearing multiple gunshots between 7 and 7 30 om on Friday which was followed by a heavy presence in the area.  

Reports further claim that just hours before the incident, a close family member of the two deceased, with reported links to a major gang in the city engaged in provocative social media posts which were perceived as direct taunts at the rival gangs.  

Investigators are now looking into a potential motive behind this tragic double murder of the mother and son.  

Police also noted that the double murder marks the third of three shooting incidents which took place in Belize City within a timeframe of 24 hours after an attack on Amandala Drive which took place on Earl Anderson followed by an attack early Saturday on Jermaine ‘Horse’ Garnett. 

The recent killing in the country has sparked widespread outrage among leaders as well as organisations with several coming forward to condemn it and are calling for justice and protection of the disability community.  

The Belize Assembly for Persons issued a bold public statement condemning the recent acts of violence and confirmed that Luke Jones, a cherished member of the organisation was found dead alongside his mother at his residence.  

"No one's life should be considered less valuable because of a disability," the organization declared in a statement. It further added that such violent attacks are not only repulsive crimes, but they also expose the vicious social attitudes which allegedly dehumanize and exclude people with disabilities. 

Dr Moses Barrow, leader of the United Democratic Party also voiced his anger and noted, “This horrific double murder of an innocent mother and her disabled son underpins the crime crisis Belize is facing.” 

“We cannot continue to live in a country where killing someone is the easiest crime to get away with. We cannot continue to know who the gang leaders and members are yet allow them to act with impunity,” he further added while calling upon the incumbent government to act better.  

MP Patrick Faber expressed her deep sadness and noted that she knew Lukie for practically 25 years, and he was not the kind of differently abled person who would sit still and wait for others to take care of him, but he was a real hustler and called his loss ‘tragic’. 

Leader of the Opposition Tracy Panton is also calling for an end to the ongoing gang related violence in Belize City. Following the tragic killing of Evadnie Jones and her son Luke Jones on Cedar Street, Panton took to Facebook, condemning the violence.  

“This is not an isolated incident. This is a pattern of lawlessness, retaliation as well as unchecked criminality that is placing countless Belizean families in harm’s way,” Panton said. “Let us be clear: no family should have to live in fear, and no community should have to endure the trauma of targeted violence or the lack of safety in their own homes and neighbourhoods.”  

She further called for the government to put in place urgent measures and restore peace and public confidence in law enforcement, among other things.