Belize-Guatemala Joint Investigation into Shooting Incident Near Belize Guatemala Border
A Belize Defense Force soldier is hospitalized after being shot in the buttocks during an incident that may have international implications. According to a release from the Belize Defense Force, on Saturday afternoon B.D.F. soldiers at the Valentin Conservation Post along the Belize/Guatemala border heard a single gunshot. One B.D.F. soldier soon realized that he had received a gunshot wound. He was rushed to the Western Regional Hospital where he remains admitted to ward. Belizean and Guatemalan authorities have since launched a joint investigation in an effort to determine who fired the shot. Could it have been from Guatemala’s side of the border, or was it friendly fire? Well, Chester Williams, the Commissioner of Police, says the B.D.F. officers at the Valentin Conservation Post have all accounted for their ammunitions. The slug, once surgically removed from the soldier, will be sent for ballistic testing to determine its origin. ComPol Williams spoke with reporters today in Belmopan.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“Yes I can confirm that yesterday afternoon; members of the Belize Defense Force visited the San Ignacio Town Police Station where they reported that on the twenty-sixth of November sometime around two p.m. officers were at the Valentin Outpost in the Chiquibul Forest Area when one single gunshot was heard. Subsequent to that one of the B.D.F. soldier realized that he was shot in the buttocks. Since then the B.D.F. had left the outpost and yesterday police investigators along with members of the B.D.F. went back to the location to investigate. At this time investigators are trying to ascertain who fired the shot and from which direction it was fired. Based on what the B.D.F. solider reported the shot may have been fired from Guatemala. We are still trying to ascertain if that is so. I know the B.D.F. who was injured was still admitted to the Western Regional Hospital and from what I was briefed the slug is still lodged in him. So, the slug will be very key in determine the type of weapon that was used as well as the trajectory and distance. So as soon as the doctor has conducted the surgery we are going to obtain the slug from the doctor and it will be sent to the National Forensic Service for ballistic testing. That will tell us if indeed in fact the slug was fired from one of the B.D.F. weapon or by a weapon which does not belong to the B.D.F.. So we are looking at that at this time to ascertain what happened.”
Reporter
“I know that many times when soldiers are allotted ammunition they have to account for each round they use.”
Chester Williams
“We have checked with the B.D.F. and they have confirmed that every officer who was at that outpost did in fact account for all their rounds.”
Reporter
“I know it is on the edge of the Chiquibul, but how far is it from the Guatemalan border?”
Chester Williams
“It is not too far. We have been there once. It is a bit of distance for a shot gun or a small weapon. But, perhaps maybe a long range weapon like an AR-15 or 16 and SLR, those may be able to travel further and if one is fired from the Guatemalan side of the border to that area perhaps it might hit a target. But again, if it is, we are not saying the shooter could have been in Guatemala, the shooter could have in Belize as well, just a bit closer to the Adjacency Zone to be able to have a closer reach to its target. So, we are looking at all that.”
