Woman hit by stray pellets while police apprehend ‘Crazy’ Arnold

michael arnold

The other shooting was in Ladyville where a woman was shot in the legs this past Wednesday as she sat at her home which is located next to the house of her Area Representative, Michael Hutchinson. The bullets penetrated the walls of her house and landed on her legs. The police were in pursuit of a man who they say was about to commit a crime. News Five’s Jose Sanchez has a report.

Jose Sanchez, Reporting

Police officers in Ladyville received information that Michael ‘Crazy’ Arnold, was on his way to commit murder. The police officers caught up with him in the yard of Minister Michael Hutchinson on Pigeon Avenue.  An officer opened fire on Crazy Arnold but several pellets from the shotgun went through the open door of the house next door.  Egbert Alarcon showed us the pellet holes in the walls that missed his wife, and he showed us the blood stained floor and water bottle from the pellets that hit her.

Egbert Alarcon, Husband of Shooting Victim

Egbert Alarcon

“Di policeman dehn just fire shot back ah di yard afta wah guy weh dehn ‘Big Crip’; dah so dehn call ah round yah normally. He come by di location inna dis area and same way di policeman dehn shoot shot and my wife deh inna di bedroom and dah deh dehn shoot my wife inna di bedroom. When I hear di bawling out front. My daughter dehn mi right pan dis corner right yah wid one ah my friend and dah so dehn wind up run een yah and pick up my wife een deh and run ker ah out deh. Mista Hutchinson bredda I ask ah please help me and ker mi wife dah di hospital and dah so he stand so Mista Hutchy come and her mi wife dah hospital.”

Jose Sanchez

“The police are saying it’s a shotgun they used and one of the pellets strayed and it caught your wife. It was an accident and the man was believed to be armed with at least a knife in his hand. He was dangerous.”

Egbert Alarcon

“Well definite ih mi got wah knife because afta wah while I si di police dehn come pick it up wid wah gloves or something. I got di officer dehn come ova and di guy come by and check di blood pan di wall and dehn tek wah snap as well. Di guy neva jump ova di fence I think; dis happen right by dis corner and dehn could ah mi get mi wife kill. You see how much pellets deh pan di wall and thing.”

lorna bainton alarcon

The incident at 218 Mitchell Estate happened at five-forty-five. Crazy Arnold was shot on the shoulder and Lorna Alarcon’s legs were penetrated by three pellets from the shotgun. We met her at Belize Medical Associates in a wheel chair.

Lorna Bainton Alarcon, Shooting Victim

“When I get home from walk I start to share tea and after I done share tea I seh I gwein go tek wah bath. I went in the room and as I reached by the room I heard gunshot. I went to peep out and I noh si nobody, I noh si nothing and den I feel something burn me inna my foot and when I look down I di bleed. I run outside and halla, I get shot, I get shot.”

Jose Sanchez

“Were you surprised to find out it was from a policeman’s shotgun?”

Lorna Bainton Alarcon

“Yes, I mi think dah somebody else di shoot inna di yard. Dehn seh dah police. People si wah crowd ah policeman di run fi ketch di bwai. Dehn seh one come out—three shot ah get—one ah di bullet come out and two left een. Yoh could si one deh right yah and di next one deh somewhere bout weh ih mussy wah hard fi come out or ih mussy wah stay een deh or something.”

Jose Sanchez

“So do the doctors intend to take out the pellet wounds?”

Lorna Bainton Alarcon

“Dehn noh intend to take it out. Dehn tell me fi come back and mek wah appointment.”

Jose Sanchez

“Do you think the police should pay some of the medical cost?”

Lorna Bainton Alarcon

“They should pay whatsoever.”

Jose Sanchez

“Has any officer come and speak to you?”

Lorna Bainton Alarcon

“Yes one. Today they should come back and take my statement.”

Jose Sanchez

“Any apologies have been given to you so far?”

Lorna Bainton Alarcon

“Yes. By one of the high man last night.”

It could have been worse because Alarcon is a baby sitter. Normally at this time of the day, behind the chain link fence, Alarcon would have been caring for six toddlers.

Lorna Bainton Alarcon

Dat dah di earliest dehn eva went home yesterday. Dehn usually stay back late til night when dehn pah come from work or their mother came in but yesterday they came early so I wake up di baby and tell dehn ker home di baby one time cause I gwein go tek my walk. I noh usually go walk so early; I usually go late or after five, five-thirty so.”

Jose Sanchez

“How many kids normally there?”

Lorna Bainton Alarcon

“In the evening I mind three kids and after school I got another three more come home weh I watch till their parents come in.”

Jose Sanchez

“So in a sense it was good that everything happened earlier.”

Lorna Bainton Alarcon

“Yes, everybody went home early.”

The Bainton’s only wish is for the police not to shoot indiscriminately when trying to apprehend suspects.

Egbert Alarcon

“Di amount ah police weh come inna dah truck deh could ah mi apprehend dis guy much, much better than this.”

Lorna Bainton Alarcon

“Di police dehn have to be more careful because people deh round. They see people around.”

Reporting for News Five, Jose Sanchez.