Victim of cop shooting hit in legs, not back
A post-mortem was conducted this morning on the body of a man shot by police in Corozal. While we have not yet been able to obtain the official results, a family member is satisfied that, contrary to earlier allegations, Francis Diego was indeed shot in the legs and not the back. What is still unresolved, however, is how and why he died from those wounds. Jacqueline Woods reports.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
The mother of Francis Diego says she knew her son had been in trouble with the law, but she does not know why police went to arrest him on Tuesday.
Vicente Diego, Mother of Deceased
“He was always in trouble, but he never tell me what kind of trouble because when he went to my house I always talk to him, he never tell me, ma, I trouble with this, he never me tell nothing.”
Family members had alleged that the police shot Diego in his back while the police maintain that he was shot in the legs. Today, Diego’s mother was at the city’s morgue for her son’s post-mortem.
Vicente Diego
“I want to see my son’s body good. So the doctor lift up the head because I heard there was a shot behind the head. So I tell him to lift up the head and let him turn the body. I check the body, nothing, nothing, no shots on the body.”
Jacqueline Woods
“So there were no gunshots to his back, to his chest.”
Vicenta Diego
“Nothing, nothing, just to his feet. Nothing to the head either.”
Jacqueline Woods
“He was shot in both legs?”
Vicente Diego
“Just right here, right here and here.” (points to leg)
Jacqueline Woods
“Vicente do you believe, they took too long to take care of your son and that is why he died?”
Vicente Diego
“Well some people say after they shoot him, he was still on the ground about half an hour, he needs him but they no help him. So afterwards probably it was too late maybe too late.”
“One of my daughters, Marian Diego, he called to her to let she help him because he was on the ground and police tell her, move far from him. His own sister they would not let her go and help him.”
Reporting for News 5, Jacqueline Woods.
Police claim that Diego was shot after he resisted arrest and attacked several police officers. Family members dispute that account. A police internal affairs investigation is said to be ongoing. Late unofficial word on the post-mortem is that one of the bullets severed a major artery and Diego bled to death.
