San Pedro Police Open Fire When Motorcyclists Breached Checkpoint

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood

The Belize Police Department has launched a pair of investigations into an incident that occurred in San Pedro over the weekend which resulted in a man being injured when police officers opened fire after a pair of men on a motorcycle ran through a checkpoint.  According to Communications Officer, A.S.P. Fitzroy Yearwood, the Professional Standards Branch is looking into the matter.

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Communications Officer, B.P.D.

“I know that the commissioner has ordered an internal and criminal investigation.  We know that officers claim that they were on patrol when they heard gunshots coming from an area not too far from where they were, then they saw a red motorbike with two occupants coming towards them.  They made an attempt to stop the riders of this motorbike and these men just ran through the, what to say, the checkpoint.  The officers opened fire in these persons’ direction and they are saying that twenty minutes later, they received a phone call that these men abandoned the red motorbike that they were driving and when they proceeded to the San Pedro Polyclinic one of these men was seen with an apparent gunshot wound.  We know that, like I said, internal affairs and the Professional Standards Branch are investigating this matter.  Likewise, we have CIB investigating this matter.  I know that these officers have been identified so far and we will see what will be the directives from the commissioner at the end of the investigations.”