Diplomat’s son may have fired gun
Younger brother of Canadian killed accused of entering crime scene
The 15- year- old son of Canada’s consul general in Florida may have played a larger role than originally thought in a shootout Monday that ended in the death of his brother, Jean, 17, and an alleged drug dealer, according to allegations on a court tape.
According to a tape of the detention hearing held Tuesday, Marc Wabafiyebazu, the younger son of Consul General Roxanne Dube, is accused of entering the bloodsplattered crime scene, where he grabbed a “silver handgun,” raced outside and fired it “multiple times.”
From the recording, obtained by the Miami Herald, it is not clear whether Marc shot into the air or fired at a fleeing Anthony Rodriguez, 19, who police say was trying to sell the brothers a kilogram of marijuana, worth about $ 5,000 US.
Police say the Wabafiyebazus arrived at the apartment of suspected drug dealer Joshua Wright, 17, in their mother’s black BMW with diplomatic plates Monday at about 1 p. m. local time. Their plan was to steal the drugs from Rodriguez and Wright.
According to a police affidavit, Wright texted Rodriguez to bring the marijuana to his apartment in a working- class neighbourhood of Coral Way in southwest Miami.
“The defendant arrived on the scene with two pounds ( one kilogram) of marijuana, entered the residence and began the negotiations,” the affidavit states.
During negotiations, Wright and Jean Wabafiyebazu “became involved in an exchange of gunfire.”
The tape of the hearing indicates Jean Wabafiyebazu was armed with two handguns. Witnesses said they heard about 10 shots. Wright was shot several times and killed, while Jean Wabafiyebazu stumbled out of the building and collapsed outside. He later died in hospital.
It now appears Marc Wabafiyebazu also entered the apartment, grabbed one of the guns off the floor and went outside where he fired several shots. Rodriguez was injured and taken to hospital.
He has been charged with murdering Jean Wabafiyebazu. It is not yet clear who shot Rodriguez.
One witness said when Marc Wabafiyebazu emerged from the apartment, he was angry and kept on screaming, “My brother, my brother!”
Police say they intend to charge him with murder and uttering death threats to a police officer. They say after his arrest he threatened to shoot a homicide detective in the head. The teen’s lawyer, Curt Obront, told the Miami Herald his client will plead not guilty. Police have 21 days to lay charges. Dubé and her sons moved to Miami from Ottawa in February when she took up her new post. According to their father, the older boy had had a drug problem before coming to the U. S.
Jean Wabafiyebazu met Wright at a popular Miami music festival last weekend, said Wright’s girlfriend, who attended an informal memorial Wednesday evening at his apartment.
She said Wright was a student at Coral Gables High School. Jean Wabafiyebazu was enrolled in a private school, Gulliver Preparatory in neighbouring Pinecrest, while Marc Wabafiyebazu attended Palmetto High School.
According to a CBS report, Dube asked that her son be tried in Canada. The court denied her request.
Students from the Coral Gables school brought candles and flowers to Wright’s memorial Wednesday. Kimberly Ruiz, 23, placed stems of red roses on the apartment’s concrete parking space spelling out his nickname, OBAMA.
Several said they did not know if Wright was involved in drugs.
“I don’t know,” said one girl, who didn’t want to give her name. “He was a really good person though.”
Others were angry two Canadian boys had come to Florida and killed their friend. “It sucks. He deserved what he got,” one teen said.
A young woman who gave her name as Rebecca said she had come to pay her respects and accompany her niece.
“( Wright) did not deserve that especially when it was the other two kids ( the Wabafiyebazus) that came to this house,” she said.
Dube issued a statement Thursday through the Foreign Affairs department asking for privacy.
“We also want to express our most sincere condolences to the family of Joshua Wright who have also lost their son and to all of those who have been so tragically affected in this unimaginable circumstance. Your grief is our grief,” the statement said.
“We can only hope that, in time, we will find common purpose towards diminishing the causes of such violent crimes.
“For now, we just want to be there for Marc, our incredibly caring son who loved his brother very much, and to say goodbye, ever so tenderly and quietly to Jean, our love.”