A long-simmering interpersonal dispute has erupted into a violent shooting incident in Orange Walk over the weekend, leaving one man wounded but alive, according to local law enforcement updates.
On Sunday, authorities received an emergency call reporting the gunfire and dispatched officers to the scene immediately. Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero, who leads the National Crimes Investigation Branch, confirmed details of the attack in a press briefing. Romero stated that 41-year-old Byron Diaz was seated as a passenger in a pickup truck alongside another man identified as Gian Wang when two unidentified assailants approached on a motorcycle. The attackers pulled alongside the vehicle and opened multiple rounds of gunfire directly toward the truck before fleeing the area.
Diaz was struck by at least one bullet during the assault, but prompt emergency medical response got him to a local hospital quickly. As of the latest update, he is listed in stable condition, with medical teams noting he is expected to recover from his injuries.
Following immediate canvassing of the area and preliminary investigative work, law enforcement teams have taken two suspects into custody for questioning. Romero confirmed that no formal charges have been filed against the pair yet, as investigators continue to piece together the timeline of the attack and verify evidence collected at the scene.
When pressed by reporters on a possible motive for the targeted shooting, Romero confirmed that early investigations point to the attack being tied to a pre-existing conflict between Diaz and another individual based in Orange Walk. “This is in relation to a dispute he has with a person in Orange Walk,” Romero told reporters, declining to share further details on the nature of the conflict to protect the ongoing investigation.
This report is adapted from a transcript of an evening television news broadcast, with all statements from officials verified and reproduced accurately. Local community leaders have called for increased patrols in the area following the shooting, as residents expressed concern over the outbreak of gun violence in the quiet district.