Accused murderer wounded during capture

While the marksmanship of the prison guard may have been deadly accurate, in the Stann Creek District the discharge of a police officer’s weapon had a less final result. A pre-dawn search about eight miles north of Trio Village, brought police officers face to face with twenty-eight year old Antonio Lopez, who is accused of the August third chopping death of Honduran national, Mario Galdamez. According police, they found Lopez hiding out in some caves, but when he saw them approaching, the suspect drew his machete and came out fighting. During the struggle to disarm Lopez, Police Corporal Juanito Cocom received injuries to his wrist and knee. When Lopez refused to halt his advance the officer reportedly fired a single shot and the bullet found its mark in Lopez’s left knee. The wounded suspect was taken to the Independence Village clinic where he was treated and released into police custody. Lopez now faces charges of murder and aggravated assault.