One week after a brutal double fatal shooting shook the small coastal community of San Pedro, Belize, dozens of local residents took to public streets again on Sunday to push for accountability and answers in the killing of local businessman David David Harmouch and security guard Daniel Jones.
The two men were killed on June 28 when four armed suspects stormed Island Supermarket, where Harmouch’s family members also work and shop. Investigative records confirm that two additional members of the Harmouch family suffered non-fatal injuries during the attack, before the four gunmen fled the scene undetected immediately after the shooting.
Sunday’s demonstration marked the second public call for action from the community in as many weeks. Protesters traversed the main thoroughfares of Ambergris Caye, a popular tourist and residential island that is home to San Pedro, holding hand-painted banners emblazoned with the slogan “Justice for David & Daniel”. Many participants carried printed photographs of Harmouch to honor the life of the local business leader.
The first protest, held outside the San Pedro Police Station exactly one week before Sunday’s march, was organized by leaders of Belize’s Lebanese community, to which the Harmouch family belongs. At that demonstration, participants publicly criticized local law enforcement for what they described as a failure to pre-empt violent crime in the area, a grievance that has continued to fuel community unrest.
As of Sunday, local police authorities confirmed their investigation into the mass shooting remains active, and several persons of interest have been taken into custody for questioning. To date, however, no formal charges have been filed against any individual in connection with the killings, leaving the community still waiting for concrete action from the justice system.