Pubdate: Thu, 02 Apr 2015
Source: Record, The (Kitchener, CN ON)
Copyright: 2015 Metroland Media Group Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.therecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/225
Authors: Peter Edwards and Katherine DeClerq
Page: A5

CANADIAN DIPLOMAT'S TEEN SON KILLED IN SHOOTOUT

Younger son faces murder charge in what Miami police call a drug
dispute

MIAMI - Canada's top government official in Miami is planning the
funeral of her 17-year-old son and the legal defence of her
15-year-old after the brothers took part in what Florida police call
an attempted drug ripoff.

The brothers - both armed with guns - used her black Canadian
government BMW with diplomatic plates as a lookout vehicle as they
tried to rob the drug dealers Monday afternoon at an apartment complex
in the Coral Way district, police say.

The brothers are the sons of Roxanne Dube, who recently assumed the
role of consul-general in Miami.

In the gunfire, the older brother - Jean Wabafiyebazu - and another
man were shot and killed as roughly 10 shots were reportedly fired in
a battle for one kilogram of marijuana worth about $5,000.

Now the younger brother, who is not named because he is a minor, is
facing two charges of felony murder. He turned 15 just a few weeks
ago. Under Florida law, anyone who participates in a violent felony in
which someone dies - in this case, armed robbery - can face a murder
charge.

Families of Canadian consular officials have no criminal immunity in a
foreign country. A spokesperson from the state attorney's office said
that in Florida, the 15-year-old son could be tried as an adult, but
that the prosecutor has not yet decided on a course of action.

In addition to the felony murder charges, the 15-year-old was also
charged with uttering threats against an officer.

While being detained in the homicide unit of Miami police
headquarters, the 15-year-old threatened to "kill Detective Garcia and
shoot him in the head," according to document provided by the State
Attorney's Office.

German Wabafiyebazu, the father of the Canadian teens, said his eldest
son had struggled with substance abuse.

"I lost my son," he said in a telephone interview from Ottawa. "He is
a person."

Wabafiyebazu said he and Dube were divorced a few years
ago.

"I am a man and I am not a crying person," he said. "=C2=85 I have water
coming from my eyes. It is a very, very sad situation."

One of the suspected drug dealers, Joshua Wright, was also
killed.

A third man, Anthony Rodriguez, was wounded and drove off - he was
later found at a nearby gas station. Rodriguez, 19, is charged with
felony murder and marijuana possession with intent to sell.

Wabafiyebazu said he spoke by phone with his ex-wife. A former
Fulbright scholar, Dube has extensive diplomatic experience, having
worked as an aide in Parliament and as the ambassador to Zimbabwe.

Wabafiyebazu said he's wondering what lies ahead legally for his
15-year-old son, and also how to bury his other son.

He said his sons borrowed their mother's car, which has diplomatic
plates, telling her that they were just going for a drive, and that he
heard the youngest boy rushed into the complex after hearing the gunshots
=2E

The building's entrance way was splattered with blood; the BMW was
impounded.

"That's what we believe, it was a dispute over a drug transaction,"
Miami police Chief Rodolfo Llanes told the Miami Herald.
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