By Belize Live News Staff: Chaos erupted near the Michael Finnegan Market on Tuesday morning when police shot a man they claimed was reaching for a firearm. The suspect, 25-year-old Edward Saldano Jr., known as “Scrubby,” was shot in the foot after officers attempted to detain him.
According to police, Saldano was wanted for a previous gun-related offense. Officers say they followed him to a food stall, where he allegedly reached into his waistband for a firearm, prompting them to shoot. A 9mm pistol with 14 live rounds was reportedly recovered at the scene.
However, Saldano’s mother, Joyce Martinez, tells a different story. She claims her son was simply buying juice and tamales when officers walked in and confronted him. “They told him, ‘you’re wanted,’ and when he put his hands behind his back, they threw him on the ground and handcuffed him,” she explained. Martinez insists Saldano was unarmed and believes the authorities are unfairly targeting him.
“I listened to the news and now they’re saying he went to rob,” she added. “They’re always picking him up, saying he went to rob. But he knew the people in the stall—why would he rob them?”
This is not the first time Saldano has had encounters with the law, but his mother believes he is being harassed. She referenced an incident three months ago when officers allegedly shot at him. “He told me, ‘Ma, it’s the same police that already shot me three months ago. Naturally, he wants to kill me,’” she said.
Martinez has vowed to fight for her son, insisting that she will not let this incident go unanswered. Meanwhile, Saldano remains under police guard at the hospital as investigations continue.
