After shooting incident; wrong man shot by cops
There were two shooting incidents in the Caesar Ridge area on Wednesday night. The first shooting was so blatant it occurred under the noses of the police, right next door to the Yabra Police Community Unit Office on Queen Charlotte Street. At about six-fifty-five p.m., Mark “Pele” Vernon was standing in front of a pink house when a green vehicle, either a Dodge Ram or a Ford, drove by. The passenger in the vehicle fired several shots, two caught Pele. Even before he fell to the ground, he was injured on his lower left back and on his left hand. He is in a stable condition tonight at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. About two hours after that incident, police were on their regular patrol on Caesar Ridge area. They were on the lookout for a green vehicle. Steven Buckley, and one of his co-workers, were doing some repairs on a house in the area. When they left the site, they were intercepted by the police patrol since they were in a green Dodge Ram. The officers thought the vehicle matched the description of the one used in the shooting incident earlier that night. The men pulled over as instructed by the officers. But what happened next is still being investigated. The shotgun in the possession of one of the officers went off, the pellets went through the windshield of the vehicle and hit Buckley who was still seated in the pickup truck. His friend, who did not want to speak on-camera told News Five about the moments in which his friend and co-worker was shot.
Voice of: Marlon Myers, Friend of Shooting Victim
“A gold police pickup truck pulled from Fabers Road, coming towards the front of my vehicle and they said stop turn, out your lights, shut off the engine, driver come out the truck. I did as they said. As I was attempting to come out the truck, two shots fired, boom, boom. My workman said Marlon I get shot inna mi head. As I was opening the door to come outside and when I came outside the officer said get on the ground. I did not go on the ground, I put my hand on the vehicle. They searched me and meanwhile they were searching me, my friend came out the vehicle and when he opened the passenger door the light came on and I saw the blood on my passenger door and dah so I know he got shot.”
Jose Sanchez
“It’s being referred to by the police as an accident, but you’re saying it was more than one shot.”
Voice of: Marlon Myers
“Twice, two shots with a pump. I don’t know if it’s a pump twelve but it’s a short pump, wooden handle and wooden thing; I noh know weh yoh call it.”
Jose Sanchez
“Do you think it’s an accident if they shot twice and they had to pump the gun?”
Voice of: Marlon Myers
Why? They said stop I stop. I was attempting to come out the vehicle. I didn’t even come out while they shoot the truck, two shots.”
Jose Sanchez
“How did the officers react after the shooting itself. Were they surprised of what they did?”
Voice of: Marlon Myers
“Yes, they were surprised. Nobody said nothing. Right now I can’t even get an answer why they did what they did from nobody.”
Jose Sanchez
“Did they tell you anything about the color of your vehicle?”
Voice of: Marlon Myers
No sir, nothing, nothing.”
Jose Sanchez
“Did they say oh we thought it might been the vehicle involved in the other shooting?”
Voice of: Marlon Myers
“Dehn noh seh nothing. Nobody speak to me. All they did was take the statement from me and fromt eh guy Alfonso that was in the passenger seat.”
Jose Sanchez
“Have you visited him at the hospital?
Voice of: Marlon Myers
“Yes sir. He already took his surgery. The doctor says he doesn’t know how he lived because of the amount of blood clots they took out of his head.”
Jose Sanchez
“And his family, who does he have at home waiting?”
Voice of: Marlon Myers
“His wife and two kids; six year old Steven Junior and eight year old Tishan Buckley.”
Jose Sanchez
“And how are they taking it so far?”
Voice of: Marlon Myers
“I have no idea; I noh si di kids as yet.”
Jose Sanchez
“Have you even slept?
Voice of: Marlon Myers
“No sir I have not, not as yet.”
According to the police, the officer said the shooting was accidental, but that is still under investigation. Buckley is in critical condition tonight at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.
Is this a joke? I don’t know where to begin on this one. But what I do know is that the things that are going on within our police department is absolutely outrageous. It seems like anything that walk on two legs can be a police in this day and age. Whatever happened to protect and serve? You want the respect of people, but having people live in fear is not the way tro get your respect. These cops need to stop playing God with people’s lives. And to add insult to injury, they lie to try and cover themselves. People get upset when one speaks badly of their own country, but what am I supposed to be proud of? Please somebody tell me, I read the news everyday, and I can’t say when last I’ve read something positive about what’s going on in my country. I love Belize dearly, but it sadness me to see that people have no regard for human life. We see these guys banging on the streets and we get upset, but the police who should be controlling the matter are only adding fuel to the flames. They need to understand that when their behavior is as such, they lose the respect of the people and this leads to choas and confusion. I would really like to see our Prime Minister and the Minister of National Security get from behind their desks in their air conditioned offices and do what they were voted in to do. I would also like to see the Police Department straighten up their act and take the necessary steps to ensure that this sort of situation does not reoccur. There also should be more vigorous training to teach these cops how to deal with any situation and the requirements to join the police force needs some changes. What I’ve read here in this story wreaks of ignorance and it sickens me. All I can say is that we need to continue to PRAY for Belize and that God will rid our homeland of corruption by those we have put our trust in.
These Police officers are cowards,Shame on the Prime Minister ,the minister of national security and Shame on the Police and its entire force,HOW CAN YOU TRUST THE POLICE WHEN MOST OF THEM ARE THUGS THEMSELVES AND HEAVEN KNOWS WHAT JEFFRIES IS DOING,THEY TRY TO KILLED THE INNOCENT BECAUSE THEY ARE SCARED OF THE CRIMINALS.
The police are back in the news again repeating history.
A few days ago an innocent woman got shot in her foot, she will survive that incident, and a few hours ago another man got shot in the head by the police, he is still hanging on to live.
The police will now do in internal investigation; we will not be surprised how the story will end. When will the police stop with their negligence, and when will the innocent people stop becoming victims of those idiotic police.
The police are not qualified to carry around guns, the police are criminally negligent, and the people are blithely expendable.
The dumb police officers have finally brought the warfare to full fruition, they should be dealt with the same treatment.
fed-up-with the police.
Another disaster with the police department, send that police officer to jail. An innocent family that will be traumatized for the rest of their lives. Imagine what his kids are going through. They are old enough to understand what death is and to think that their father could be joining Michael Jackson.
The police had the best intentions and unfortunately the shooter made a big mistake in the heat of the moment and acted irrationally. My sympathies to the family as well as the cop who acted too hastily. I’m glad the victim survived. I’m sure the cop must be very sorry, and he will more than likely be more judicious the next time he’s in a similar situation.
There is no shame in the PD if they are claiming that this was an accident. If they come out to the public and say it was an accident I believe that the dimwits in senior command have to step down along with the respective minister.
I MEAN LIKE WHAT THE HELL ARENT THESE COPS THOUGHT HOW TO SHOOT AND HOW TO IDENTIFY THEIR SUSPECTS CORRECTLY. NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE COPS THEY SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO SHOOT ANYONE EITHER. WE CANT EVEN TRUST THESE OFFICERS NOWADAYS. FROM WHAT I KNOW A FRIEND OF MINE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND WENT TO SOME POLICE SCHOOL FOR JUST A YEAR OR TWO AND HE BECAME A COP. IS IT THAT EASY TO BECOME A COP??????? DAMN IMAGINE
Public Defendah… the next time? This Police must go to jail for what he irresponsably and irrationally did. next time? are you insane?
The people of Belize need to realize that our politicians dont care about what is happening in our community. They are leaving us to kill out or selves. Why do you think jeffries is in that position cause he is carrying out the dirt work for these ministers. That guy Pele that got shot if u never know his mother is the loan shark for many police officers, so that is exactly why the gun accidentally went off. These police are playing a game with the gang on the streets. They need to do a clean sweep n get rid of all those corrupt cops or else we will have to do it ourselves hahaha .
You cannot blame the current administration for the last administrations FAILURE TO HIRE new blood. It appears that the truth of the reasoning for hiring is now apparent. You are now witnessing first hand the spoil’s of the previous plans, or lack of foresight, or negligence!! It takes years to corrupt a department this badly, WHO WAS IN power in the city / country the longest is my best guess!!
When the Police force and the Government has to start paying victims of Police negligence big bucks through lawsuits they will start training their officers better and revamp their hiring process. How many citizens of Belize suffersat the hands of these supposedly train Police Officer and the Police gets off scrotch free and the poor families has to continue living without compensation.Citizens of Belize start filing million dollar Lawsuits against the Police Force when you are a victim from their actions, maybe then the Government will do something when they feel the pinch in their pocketbook.
When the Police force and the Government has to start paying victims of Police negligence big bucks through lawsuits they will start training their officers better and revamp their hiring process. How many citizens of Belize suffersat the hands of these supposedly train Police Officer and the Police gets off scotch free and the poor families has to continue living without compensation.Citizens of Belize start filing million dollar Lawsuits against the Police Force when you are a victim from their actions, maybe then the Government will do something when they feel the pinch in their pocketbook.
The Belize Police are so Stupid!
with this senseless cops riding around we the innocent have to watch our selves now inside our vehicle of being targed for no reason. what unprofesional are they. bet the babylon who shop the gyu must have only finish primary school and joined the police brutality force. damn! where is jeffries now, is he gonna make a press release now along with the barrow. what a shame simple heads police. hope the gangsters kill you all cause you dogs really disgrace this department.
Just another joke, I just love the way they handle their job…it’s disgraceful…they can’t apprehend murderers and thieves, but check them out shooting innocent people. Aren’t they supposed to be trained and professional and protect.
An Accident is SOMEONE’S Irresponsibility coming to bare. There are no mistakes either……..
I am curious about what type of training Belize Police receives with fire arms. Do they have “paper work” after each shooting explaining what happened??????
I am not even a cop,however there is something known as positive identification.But i realize that cammon Sense no cammon.
When the police department is hiring they need to do an honest 10 year back ground check before putting them in the public most of these officers are thugs and gang members this is the worst since 2009 until today date .the prime minster need to do an excellent investigation from the top person in the police department he him self need an investigation there is a lot of cover up in the police department the prime minster needs to clean house too many innocent bystanders getting shot if this continue there will be no tourist coming to Belize they will be afraid to walk the street like the Belize people it is a shame Belize is getting like Jamaica every day some one is D E A D it got to stop .There are a few house cleaning need to be done in the corrupt police and government .The W A R in Belize must D O N E a lot will DI E a lot will C R Y there will not be enough burial space to bury fellow Belize as the war in b Belize both P U P and U D P should come together as one and solve Belize no w called the murderous place second to Jamica by Belize and the tourist .Belize use to be a place you can call home not any more clean up the police department
What is happing in this lovely country. I can only say one day litte belize will turn out with a revelustion and these ministers that is sitting in there air conditioned office will have to fly out of there own country own mes of what they are doing now. So people do some thing before its too late.
any accidental firing of a gun that hit an unintended target should be charged as attempted murder…..police or not.
my belize our belize will not go faword because the police is a fraid of the gang menbers so they are taking it out on our inocent people of belize
the govorment is a blame for all this they are only looking out for the money thats it, not the people
I was planning a trip with 10 of my friends from work to belize…………….. FORGET IT……. theses DAMM cops shooting people for F——–g nothing……… I cant take it no more……. Best to take them out first cause you will still get killed…. might as well you take some with you……….
This is a bad one, a very bad one. We`know that the police had been shot at too, and they are about protecting themselves. It happen even where police are better trained, London, UK of all places. The public is on edge with all of this senseless killings and we ask the police to do something about it. Its quite unfortunate, but given the situation with crime in Belize, sad to say, it will happen again. Its the times in which we live.
Police Death list for 2010:
1)Teddy Murillo
2)Cpl Sanchez
3)Christopher Galvez
4)Innocent Citizens