TWO DEAD IN COTTON TREE SHOOTING: men gunned down near wake, two held

Two men were shot dead near a wake in Cotton Tree Village, Cayo District, Belize, in the early hours of Friday, October 16.

Fernando Jones, 27, and Esau Perez, 21, were found with gunshot wounds at the scene after police responded to reports of gunfire at around 3:57 a.m., according to Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith.

Police say Jones was the intended target. A gunman armed with a weapon opened fire on Jones as he was leaving the wake, Smith said. Perez was then shot by the same gunman while the shooter was fleeing the area.

Two men have been taken into custody for investigation purposes, but police have not formally charged either with the killings. The suspects have not been officially identified. The motive for the shooting and whether gang violence was involved remain under investigation.

Smith acknowledged that police operations fell short on the night of the incident. Commissioner of Police Dr. Richard Rosado reviewed the response and identified gaps in security and patrol coverage, prompting plans for changes and accountability measures. Additional patrols have now been assigned to Cotton Tree Village as authorities assess heightened risk in the region.

The investigation was ongoing as of October 17.