Youth killed during gun battle with police
Criminals let loose over the weekend and in tonight’s newscast, we lead with reports of a fatal shooting, two murders and the latest on a grenade that exploded at the home of the Comptroller of Customs Gregory Gibson. In the first case, a youth was killed during a crossfire in which two cops were shot at about four o’clock Saturday morning on Lancaster Street in Belize City. The shooting came on the heels of a report that two people in the Cinderella Plaza area were being robbed by two youths. A police patrol made up of Constables Isaac Wallace and Jaime Ah, and others already in the area, moved in and spotted the youths running. They caught up with the two suspects on Lancaster Street where they exchanged gunfire. In the crossfire, P.C. Wallace was shot in his right leg while Constable Ah was shot and wounded on his chest, right pelvis and upper arm. He underwent surgery for the gunshot to his chest and remains in a critical condition. At a press briefing today by the police top brass, Police Commissioner Gerald Westby was no holds barred and said matter-of-factly that he had no remorse for the killing, Officer Commanding the Eastern Division of Police, Senior Superintendent David Henderson shared the police version of the matter.
Senior Supt. David Henderson, OC, Eastern Division
“A female called the police, a Salvadoran businesswoman and reported that she was being robbed. The police then responded to the report where the immediate area was searched, which includes Castle Street, Yorke Street and Lancaster Street. During the search by the police on Yorke Street at the corner of Landcaster and Yorke Street, the police behind the building they were confronted by the two suspects where the police were fired upon. The police then responded fire where one of the persons were fatally injured. Both of our police officers who were there were shot. In fact, one of the police was seriously injured and had to be transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where he had to undergo immediate surgery. He has since been removed and taken to a private hospital where he’s getting more intense treatment.”
“Since then we’ve arrested Steve Lemoine and he has been charged with the crime of robbery, the injury to both officers and the use of deadly means of harm. I must say, prior to this incident, these same fellows—we went in search of them because of an alleged assault and they were not found so we know they were involved out there. We have since recovered a point thirty-eight revolver from the shooting incident with the guy, which is kept as exhibit and we have five expended shells which they had fired at the police with.”
Gerald Westby, Commissioner of Police
“As far as I’m concerned, the police could have been the one that was dead and I have no remorse to say that what happened out there it could have been the other way around and I have no remorse as to the loss of life because I know somebody’s kid’s life was lost but as far as I am concerned, it was a wanton, brazen and criminal act at these police and we will not continue to tolerate that. We’ll continue to aggressively police. Certainly we need to equip the police with more bullet proof vests and look at other strategies to deal with those situations.”
Police were quick to act and this morning twenty-seven year old Steven Lemoine appeared before Chief Magistrate Margaret McKenzie and was charged with two counts of Dangerous Harm and two counts of Deadly Means of Harm. Lemoine was remanded into custody until April fourteenth.
