Gun Violence Erupts Across Old Capital during Carnival Weekend
Back to the Belize District. As many as four persons were hospitalized for injuries sustained in the gun violence that started around nine-thirty on Saturday night. An off-duty female police officer was socializing with her common-law husband and friends in front of her house on Curassow Street when a gunman opened fire and her common-law-husband, Joseph Debride, was shot to the neck. Eastern Division South Commander, Senior Superintendent Chester Williams held a press briefing today on the incident.
Sr. Supt. Chester Williams, Regional Commander, Eastern Division South
“Sometime after nine p.m. that night, police had received information of a shooting incident on Curassow Street. They subsequently visited the K.H.M.H. where they saw Mister Debride suffering from apparent gunshot wound to the neck. He is admitted at the hospital in a critical but stable condition.”
Reporter
“Sir, we have received reports that he got shot while trying to protect or save the female, his girlfriend, with whom he was with. Do you all have any account such as that?”
Chester Williams
Sr. Supt. Chester Williams
“Yeah, what basically happened, it is not like what my friend Duane said earlier that the police officer was targeted. It’s not a case where the police officer was targeted, but what happened is that a female police officer was socializing on Curassow Street along with her boyfriend when a male person came who said he had a firearm on him. The police officer, being the person that she is—she is a very active and energetic police officer—she tried to apprehend the person with the firearm. They got into a struggle, her boyfriend came to assist her and in that process, the person got away and whilst he was leaving, he took out the firearm and fired shots at them, hitting Debride in the neck.”
Reporter
“So you all have a known suspect?”
Sr. Supt. Chester Williams
“Yes, the suspect is in custody as we speak.”
Reporter
“And that person will be charged with attempted murder?”
Sr. Supt. Chester Williams
“He will be charged with two counts of attempted murder today.”
