Samir Vivas
It has been relative free of violent crimes in Corozal Town since the start of the year. But on Tuesday night, all that was shattered when a horrible murder took place, all the more shocking because a fifteen year old minor has handed himself in to the police. The minor, whose name is being withheld, reportedly stabbed twenty-four year old Samir Vivas once on the chest. Vivas expired before he could get to the Corozal Community Hospital. The reason for the stabbing is believed to be a stolen bicycle, but the Vivas family says not so. Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Tragedy struck in Corozal Town on Tuesday night. Around eight-thirty p.m., twenty-four year old Samir Vivas was fatally stabbed once to the abdomen across from where he lived in the Venezuelan Site Area of the town. After being stabbed, Samir made his way home and collapsed after identifying to his grandmother who had stabbed him. His mother was notified shortly after, but by the time she arrived at the scene, he had already perished.
Annabel Vivas, Mother of Murder Victim
“I was at home in Calcutta Village at about eight o’clock when my mom called me and said that Annabel you got to come down now. I told her why; ih say because Samir, [bleep] had just stabbed him. And then ih said it look like it deep and so please just come down. So I hurry run out and I grab a taxi came. By the time I reach here, I saw my son lying down there and when I saw him lying down there, my mom told me he was drinking earlier at the neighbors. So I told her, ma what happened? She said that the boy just stabbed Samir and Samir ran over and told her and he collapsed right there. My mom thought it was because he was drunk but he died right there at that spot. I was trying to wet him [with alcohol], trying to bring him back and thing, but he is dead.”
Annabel Vivas
Annabel travelled several miles from Calcutta Village and police had still not arrived on scene. Samir was rushed by ambulance to the Corozal Community Hospital, but he was already dead. This was not the first time that her son had been gravely injured and Annabel was hopeful that he would survive.
Annabel Vivas
“They opened the ambulance and the other doctor from the hospital ran in and when they ran in and checked him, they call me inside and I told them bring in my son, shock my son. Ih say no ma. Ih say listen; sit down Miss Vivas, sit down. Ih say your son is dead. I said no, no, no; he is not dead.”
According to police, Samir was stabbed by a fifteen year old San Antonio resident and former student of ITVET, Corozal, following an altercation between the two over a stolen bicycle.
Dennis Arnold
Supt. Dennis Arnold, O.C., Corozal Police
“Vivas was at home, Venezuelan Site Area, Corozal Town, where a minor had approached him and accused him of stealing his bicycle. An argument ensued and immediately thereafter, a fight where the fifteen year old minor introduced a knife to the fight and stabbed Vivas to the stomach. He was taken to the Community Hospital where he succumbed to the injuries. We haven’t received any report of any stolen bicycle by the fifteen year old minor.”
Duane Moody
“Is the minor of the same area?”
Supt. Dennis Arnold
“The minor is from San Antonio Village. He handed in himself this morning with his parent.”
But while police are saying that the motive behind the murder is the stealing of a bicycle, Annabel says it is not so.
Annabel Vivas
“It’s not really that. The little boy used to always beat up my niece. She…it’s her boyfriend and they always have a misunderstanding and they kept him away from around here. When he came, it looked like my son didn’t like the idea about it and he told him and at the neighbor’s house that’s when he stabbed my son. And my son ran and told ih gran that he was stabbed. He dropped right there and that’s it.”
The fifteen year old minor was this morning brought into the police station by his mother and sister. His mother says that while her son confessed that he was in a fight with Samir, he did not murder him.
Voice of: Mother of Accused Minor
“My son gone dah the house because ih still got ih girlfriend there. Ih gone ker wah key. The gial never deh deh so meantime ih di wait for the gial, the young man Samir come in. Ih tell mi son like this…you [bleep] I hear you accused that I thief your bike. So my son smile because dah sake ah wah bicycle yo know, wah bicycle. So they got the argument and my son say ih only smile and ih walk away. And when he di walk away, the bwai Samir approach him by ih shirt collar and ih say when ih approach ahn so, he heist up ih bike in front of ahn. From there so, deh start to fight. Dehn never take long, they fight lee bit and then from deh so, ih say the bwai drop. And when the bwai drop, he hear the bwai grumble and so he pick up his bike and he gone. When same time…not long after my son reach home—when ih see police come—this happen like between, like eight-thirty. And the police say they cowe look for me son because they just accuse ahn of stab somebody. I say ih can’t be my son; my son dah noh like that. My son young and he neva get ina trouble yet; he dah noh that type ah person.”
Police confirmed that the minor has no record, but that Samir has had a string of run-ins with the law for various offenses.
Supt. Dennis Arnold
“First time…but the Samir Vivas, numerous times in police custody. He is well known to the police.”
Duane Moody
“For robbery?”
Supt. Dennis Arnold
“Robberies yes. Likewise while I was working as officer in charge of Orange Walk, we dealt with him several times there for robbery also.”
Samir, according to his family, was to leave today to go and work with his brother in San Pedro. He was to celebrate his twenty-fifth birthday on Monday, August tenth. Duane Moody for News Five.
The body was taken to the Northern Regional Hospital morgue and a post mortem exam will be carried out on Thursday in Belize City.
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