Marquin Drury murdered not too far from home

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Marquin Drury

By Jem Smith
For weeks, there has been a significant eruption in gun violence all across the country. In Belize City, it was no different and on Wednesday, May 19, Marquinhos Drury became another fatality of this gun violence. The 29-year-old was standing on Santa Barbara Street, not too far away from his home, with a second person when at around 9:35 p.m., a dark colored vehicle approached the pair. From inside, a gunman aimed at the duo, firing a multitude of shots. Drury was shot multiple times and later pronounced dead at the hospital.
Following this shooting, police anticipated a series of retaliatory shootings, and the gunmen did not fail to deliver. Still, investigators had to put a motive and find those responsible for Drury’s murder. The victim, who was no stranger to gang activity and who has come in contact with the law on multiple occasions in the past, was most likely executed because of these gang ties. His murder was the second act of gun violence on Santa Barbara in less than a week and police are saying that they are a result of an ongoing dispute between different elements across the City. Multiple shells were retrieved from the area but no one been detained for this murder.
This is not Drury’s first shooting encounter and less than two years ago, in October 2019, he was grazed. While he managed to escape with his life in that instance, one of the other two persons with whom he was with was not as lucky. On this day, it was 24-year-old Jamal Elijio who lost his life. Elijio was shot to the right shoulder as he was socializing with Justin Richards and Drury. Richards was shot to the neck while Drury was grazed on his right leg. Elijio succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. Even prior to this, however, was a high speed chase in which Drury and police officers were involved. This incident dates back to 2014 when he was reportedly involved in a shootout with police officers on Mahogany Street. Police pursued him and he was grazed to the body.