On a quiet Sunday night in San Pedro Town on Ambergris Caye, Belize, what should have been a routine evening of business at the busy Island Supermarket erupted into brutal violence that has left two men dead, two injured, and a tight-knit community grappling with shock and grief.
The deadly incident unfolded shortly after 9 p.m., when proprietor Ahmad Harmouch and his relative Iman Harmouch returned to the supermarket after stepping out briefly. Just two minutes after their re-entry, four masked gunmen pushed through the store’s entrance and opened fire indiscriminately. Three members of the Harmouch family – Ahmad, Ayman, and long-time local resident David Harmouch – were struck by gunfire. Despite immediate emergency response, David Harmouch, a 20-year San Pedro resident who married a local Belizean and raised six children, could not be saved.
As the assailants fled the scene, they turned their weapons on Daniel Jones, a well-respected security guard and former educator who was working at the store the night of the attack. Jones, described by loved ones as a generous, kind man who stepped into a fatherly role for his stepchildren and supported his entire extended family, was killed instantly in the barrage of gunfire.
According to law enforcement officials from Belize’s National Crimes Investigation Branch, the attackers fled on foot across the main street to a pre-docked boat, then sailed south from the island. ACP Hilberto Romero, head of the branch, confirmed that investigators have taken a number of persons into custody for questioning, but no formal charges have been announced as the investigation remains active.
What makes the attack even more chilling for local residents is the suspicious history of the supermarket itself. The business only opened its doors for the first time in December 2025 – just three days after its grand opening, arsonists set the building on fire in an unsolved attack. The Harmouch family invested time and resources to rebuild, and only reopened the store for business the previous Monday, less than a week before the shooting.
When asked whether the fatal shooting is connected to the earlier arson, Romero confirmed that investigators have not yet established a link, and no suspects were ever charged in the arson case. This lack of progress has drawn criticism from members of San Pedro’s Lebanese community, many of whom believe authorities failed to follow up on critical leads after the arson, warning that a more thorough initial investigation could have prevented Sunday’s bloodshed.
The two injured Harmouch family members, Ahmad and Ayman, were transported across the border to Chetumal, Mexico, for advanced medical care, and authorities confirmed they remain in stable condition as of Tuesday morning.
For the families of the two deceased men, the violence has come as an unfathomable shock. David Harmouch’s cousin Wisszam Harmouch told reporters that David had never mentioned receiving any threats prior to the attack, and was known across the community as a humble, quiet man. “He never talked about any threat and anything, and I don’t think if he was threatened he would be working at that store,” Wisszam Harmouch said Monday, mourning his loss while listening to readings from the Koran at his own store. “It’s a shock for everybody.”
Tributes to Jones echoed the same sentiment of shock over the death of a man who had done no wrong. A relative of Jones recalled his gentle, giving nature: “He gave everything to my sons. He gave everything to his parents, for his brothers. He was such a good person. I cannot remember anything wrong he did. This touched me and I can’t believe it.” Another family member added that Jones’ mentorship shaped the younger generation of the family, saying “my uncle was very strict and that is why I am the boy I am because he taught me that way.”
As investigators continue to canvass witnesses and pursue leads, San Pedro residents are left to mourn two beloved community members and wonder when – or if – answers about the brutal attack will come to light.