Police investigate three city shootings

While union members were reading the fine print of a proposed settlement and callers to Belize’s many radio talk shows exchanged verbal barbs, young men on the streets of Belize City were settling some disputes of their own…News 5’s Jacqueline Woods has more.

Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
We are not certain if it was a bench warrant that was issued last year for the arrest of twenty year old Randalph Sabido that caused him to run from the police, but whatever the reason, his flight cost him a bullet wound to the right foot. Authorities say around 2:07 this afternoon, a police patrol car was in the vicinity of Rocky Road when they saw a young man that matched the description of the person who had just shot one Stanley Coleman in his neck.

Inspector Oscar Puga, Deputy Commander, CIB
?Our initial investigation from the officers on patrol at that time, they saw the person acting suspicious in the area and the officers saw him with an object that appeared to be a firearm and he was riding a bicycle. Upon seeing the police, he rode off. The police pursued him. He was warned to stop and he didn?t do as the police directed and as a result, one shot was fired at the person which caught him in the foot. The police, however, searched the area to try to find the weapon but searches were unsuccessful.?

Police caught Sabido in an abandoned yard on West Street. He was handcuffed and taken away but while Sabido walked with the police he told them that he was not armed but he had a small quantity of weed that he threw away as he ran from the cops. Sabido even told them where he dashed the drugs.

One eyewitness who did not wish to appear on camera says she saw when the police first stopped the young man but did not believe the cop would have fired his gun because she claims there were a number of people in the area. In fact the witness says one of the bullets almost hit an elderly woman.

Voice of eyewitness
?I just saw came behind me harassing him and the guy ran and the police man just took his gun out and started firing shots. The guy fell down and he got up and started to run again. The policeman just came and started to let go shots again.?

Inspector of police and deputy commander of the criminal investigation branch Oscar Puga, says they have launched an investigation into the incident.

Inspector Oscar Puga
?At this moment it is too early for me to say. A full investigation is ongoing into the matter at this moment.?

Since eleven fifteen this morning Belize City police have been busy responding to shootings that have left twenty-five year old Marlon Fisher with a bullet wound to the left side of his chest and one Stanely Coleman fight for his life at the Karl Heusner memorial Hospital.

Inspector Oscar Puga
?Initial Investigation reveal that somewhere in the vicinity of West Street this person was shot and he made his way to the sub station in the Mesopotamia Area where the police transported him to the KHMH. Certain information the police have already obtained in respect to person involved and one person is presently detained in that investigation.?

Jacqueline Woods
?Then shortly after two, police responded to yet another shooting??

Inspector Oscar Puga
?Yes, police received information some time about 2:05 PM whereby police responded to a shooting on Welch Street. The person was likewise transported to the KHMH by the police. Initial investigation revealed that the person was shot in the area of the left side of the neck. He was unconscious from moment the police was transporting him. So there was not much information that could have been obtained by the police.?

Puga says they are investigating to determine if any of the shootings are related. According to Puga because of the recent increase in shootings, they have increased patrols.

Inspector Oscar Puga
?There is of course a great concern fro shootout happening between groups. I do not want to stress on the word gang, but apparently there are old beefs that have not been settled between persons between these groups. The concerns are for the innocent bystanders that are actually walking on the streets at the time of shootings. These are the persons that are usually affected by the gun playing going on.?

Jacqueline Woods for News 5.

Police say they have not yet arrived at motives for the shootings.