…And police continue to investigate how he died
And while the Gutierrez family grieves the loss of Antanacio, they are still awaiting the results of the investigation into how exactly he was shot and killed last Monday in the height of the strike by Corozal and Orange Walk farmers. The security forces, either the police or the B.D.F., opened fire using live rounds at the crowd. Heading the inquiry to find out just how Gutierrez was killed is Assistant Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie. We took the opportunity today in Belmopan to speak with C.E.O. for National Security, General Lloyd Gillett about the police version.
General Lloyd Gillett, C.E.O., Min. of Nat’l Security
“There’s conflicting reports of where he died and where he was shot. Also we have to remember that although no order was given to fire on the crowd, police officers when they feel threatened can use justifiable force to preserve their life. So we have to look at the circumstances as well, how it came about that shots were fired.”
Marion Ali
“It hasn’t been proven that anyone of these people had weapons though.”
General Lloyd Gillett
“Well, that is yet to be determined. The police said that members of this group had machetes. Now you can threaten my life with a machete so it all depends on if there was anyone who felt that his life was threatened that used justifiable force. I don’t know the circumstances. These officers were protecting private property and these people actually came through police road blocks to come onto private property to destroy private property. So it wasn’t as if the police were going after them; the police were just standing there. So all of this would have to be taken into consideration.”
Marion Ali
“But we’re not making any conclusions here that it was justifiable force that was used right?”
General Lloyd Gillett
“We’re not making any conclusions because we’re not even sure if it was the police that did the fatal shooting.”
The question of whether unjustifiable force was used has still not been answered by the top brass at National Security.
