Belize shootings

Belize has the 6th highest murder rate in the world. At least in countries that keep records and aren't having civil strife. Its a small country with a big murder rate.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate
I remember the gangland massacres that had just happened in Honduras, while I was there years ago. At present Honduras is the world record holder, followed by El Salvador.

I believe we have had 5 shootings and 2 successful or incidental murders (the courts to decide) in the past 2 weeks here on the Ambergris Island.
http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/96490

It hits close to home, as friends were recently in the bar before the shootings, and that, Ambergris a small island. The sound of gun fire travels far in the night.

Recently, one man was shot 11 times with a 9mm and lived (this after being shot the previous year).

'Gang related' deaths top the charts as reasons. But some are simply random, or mostly impulsive, as I saw while spending time in Seattle a previous summer. Was it 5 in one weekend? The reasons always seem so stupid in retrospect- got cut off in traffic- got bumped in a crowd- was refused service- that stupid bitch wouldn't stop nagging...
Yet, its the collateral damage that worries me. How many innocents standing around or living in wooden houses when the bullets fly pick up stray slugs? One article in the Belize paper wrote about a number of people who were shot in the feet and legs, as thats what was exposed to the shooter, cycling by on his bike. Random shooting apparently.
Still, lets not let this thing get out of perspective for its novelty to a Canadian. Vehicles are still killing and maiming far more here. More hit and runs, more drunk and inebriated drivers here as well. And yet there is no ‘ever present fear’ of vehicles...we all cant wait to get into our freedom-mobiles....

There are many other things I could say about the satisfaction of solving ones simple immediate problems with a gun, but maybe later.

2 days later-------------
even more shootings the other night, I think that brings it up to 6 in 2 weeks. For a town with only 14 000 that seems pretty high. But if we keep it up maybe we can top new levels of stupidity.

 http://www.sanpedrosun.com/community-and-society/2014/03/16/editorial-time-stop-pretending-well-san-pedro/

Or if you would prefer- this message from Grandmaster Flash and the Fabulous 5
http://youtu.be/gYMkEMCHtJ4

Annotated:   There have been yet more shootings on the lsland. http://www.sanpedrosun.com/community-and-society/2014/04/14/miguel-motita-fuentes-shot-northern-ambergris-caye/