Father of Six Fatally Shot While Resting in Hammock; Police Investigate

A family of six is left without their breadwinner as the life of Seferino Maas Pop was taken on Friday night. Just before eight o’clock, Police responded to the scene where they discovered the lifeless body of Pop, lying face down in a hammock on the veranda of his residence. Preliminary investigation revealed that the 30-year-old, Guatemalan national was resting in his hammock with his wife Amalia Cho when an unknown individual shouted “Leeco”. Upon responding “Aha” the assailant opened fire discharging approximately seven rounds. Cho managed to flee inside the house and was unharmed. ACP Hilberto Romero, Officer Commanding Eastern Division, spoke to Love News about the investigation.

ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division: “Around 7pm police responded to a shooting incident at Cotton Tree Village. Upon their arrival they saw the lifeless body of Seferino Pop. Information is that he was on the veranda of his house when someone called his name, he got up and that is when several shots were heard causing his fatal injuries. In regards to this investigation we have two persons in custody and the investigation continues. Yes there is a patrol in that area so they responded after reports came in of the shooting.”

The family is deeply shocked by this tragedy, as Maas-Pop was not known to have any enemies. He was a devoted family man and the father of five children, the youngest of whom is just three months old. This incident is not believed to be a case of mistaken identity, as his name was called out before the shots were fired. Maas-Pop had reportedly just returned home from work, where he was employed as a construction worker. Love News spoke with his brother, Alfonso Maas-Pop, who shared that he initially thought the gunshots were from police officers on patrol.

Alfonso Maas Pop, Brother of Deceased: “My little brother had gone with me to work on Friday. We went to eight miles to Belize. I worked with the man whole day, didn’t hear anything that told me someone was looking for him or something because we just came back like minutes to seven and about fifteen minutes I reached home, we are neighbors and close to my house, and I just went and I was already in the bathroom already when heard the shots “pop pop pop.” When I came outside I cut off the light and but I didn’t inspect because sometimes the police is around there every minute and I thought it was the police that had fired some shots there. When I came out I looked outside when I heard my sister in-law crying saying they killed my brother but I couldn’t believe when I heard that. He was a hard worker. He was a person that came out seven to five everyday. He relaxes himself, drinks on the weekend that’s all that he does.”

Police recovered seven spent 9mm shell casings at the crime scene. Pop’s body was transported to the Western Regional Hospital Morgue, where he was officially pronounced dead at 10:13 p.m.