San Pedrito Subdivision

The mass shooting in San Pedrito, which left three dead, Delmar Rodriguez, 25, his baby daughter Amari Rodriguez, and friend Carlos Chi, continues to shock the community. The violent attack in the early hours of October 23rd also injured four other persons. Even though police have arrested and charged two suspects, Christian Espat and Michal Brown, the families of the fatal victims say police ignored their reports of threats. A week following the deadly shooting, they issued a statement talking about the heinous crime that has torn them apart.

On Tuesday, October 24th, Michael Brown, named as one of the two suspects in the deadly mass shooting in the San Pedrito area, turned himself over to the San Pedro Police.

Major crimes in San Pedro, Ambergris, such as murders, have decreased over the last few years, but in the very early hours of Monday, October 23rd, all that changed when two adults and a 3-year-old baby girl were shot and killed in the San Pedrito subdivision. Police identified the deceased as Delmar Rodriguez, 25, and a second adult, Carlos Chi. The baby girl was Rodriguez’s daughter, Amari Rodriguez. Four bystanders were also caught in the hail of gunshots and airlifted to Belize City for further medical attention. Three of them remain in critical condition at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. As police investigations continue, they have one person of interest they are currently looking for. Police speculate that the motive is related to drug gang activity on the island.

The island police formation has removed several weapons, ammunition, and drugs found in empty lots and among grown vegetation across San Pedro Town. The successful searches were conducted on Tuesday, July 11th, in the San Pedrito and San Juan subdivisions. No one was in the immediate areas of the findings, and as a result, the items were sealed, labeled, and deposited as found property.

The renovation works at the Brighter Tomorrow Preschool in the San Pedrito subdivision by volunteers, and members of the Rotary Club of Ambergris Caye are complete. The preschool now counts with renovated grounds and new supplies for students and classrooms. The special occasion was celebrated on Monday, April 3rd, which included refreshments and the acknowledgment of those involved in the project.

Over the past weeks, club volunteers have helped replace a fence and gate, painting and replacing items in the playground. According to them, the school needed a lot of assistance, which Rotarian Rafael Torres brought to the club’s attention. According to Marisa Willment, managing the project, after speaking to the school’s administration, teacher Ariani Gongora and Javier Gongora, the principal and owner of Brighter Tomorrow, decided to forge ahead and work on it getting donations and volunteers on board.

The mobile health fair, organized through the collaborative efforts of Area Representative Honourable Andre Perez, San Pedro Town Council, the Ministry of Health and Wellness, and the San Pedro Lions Club, will offer various services. These include complimentary doctor consultations, baby vaccines, pregnancy testing, flu shots, and glucose and pressure testing. Other services also include HIV testing, Malaria testing, and emergency response will be available. The event will also feature a booth providing information on community police.

The San Pedrito Highway has been the site of major illegal dumping over the years, with the problem still not thoroughly addressed. The lack of lighting is another issue reported by residents. This problem has now been addressed with the installation of solar lights through a collaborative effort between stakeholders and the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC).