Were the Gun-toting Party-goers under the Influence?

Chester Williams

While details of the incident have been disclosed by the Belize Police Department, as well as persons who were on the scene of the shooting, an investigation is underway to determine whether the three men involved were consuming alcohol at the establishment. According to Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, if the men are found to have been drinking prior to the incident, it is grounds for the revocation of their firearm licenses.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Going to a nightclub or a bar and drink and having your firearm on your person is an offense and it goes squarely against what is expected of a license firearms holder and so if it is that there is any evidence to suggest that these persons were consuming alcohol and had their weapons on them, that should be sufficient grounds to have their license revoked. Once that is the case, I certainly will ensure that their licenses are revoked.  And so, that is where the matter is at this time. The two individuals charged are expected to go before the court this morning and it is then going to be a matter for the court to decide. One might question, why charge for discharging a firearm in public? The reason why we did that is because obviously the two parties are in dialog and are hoping to settle the matter between themselves. So they might go to the court this morning and say, we don‘t want anything against each other and the court may withdraw the complaint, but when it comes to discharging a firearm in public, that‘s a matter for the police. They cannot withdraw that complaint, so that will be a matter that will be left in the courts and then the police are the complainant in that particular incident.”