Police open fire on Schakron’s vehicle with sister and husband inside
Lizette Armstrong
And while Flowers was well known to the police, another shooting incident occurred and it involved an activist who is well known to the media. Yolanda Schakron has had numerous brushes with members of the Police Department since the murder of her nephew Christopher Galvez in December 2009. The most recent altercation was on June first when she, along with a handful of squatters from Chetumal Street Extension clashed with armed officers on the Belcan Bridge, following the destruction of their homes by a team of workmen attached to the Ministry of Works. But tonight it is Schakron’s sister who is making headlines in the wake of a shooting incident in the Vista del Mar area of Ladyville. According to Lizette Armstrong, she and her husband were traveling in Yolanda’s pick-up truck, towards Schakron’s home when they came under fire from a team of officers on the Northern Highway near the entrance to Vista del Mar. Armstrong says that contrary to a routine stop and search, the officers instead trained their weapons at the vehicle and opened fire.
Lizette Armstrong
“We were in Ladyville and we were visiting my sister at Vista del Mar, Mrs. Yolanda Schakron. When we were on the boulevard, the first entrance to Vista del Mar, we saw some headlights behind us. At this point we thought it was my nephew and my son because they were suppose to go up there to meet us but like a minute or so after we saw the regular headlights, nothing to show that it was some type of police vehicle, we heard some shots ring out, some gunshots. So my husband looked good in the mirror and he saw the police. It was a red police vehicle and he said, “you know what these police are shooting at us.” So immediately he stopped right and when he stopped we heard someone, a male voice holler, “get out of the vehicle now, get out of the vehicle now.” At this point they still haven’t identified themselves as police officers, they just said, “get out of the vehicle now, get out of the vehicle now!” My husband did comply, he came out. He came out with his hands up. He told them his name, he told them he had a license firearm. They checked that and they saw that everything was ok. They checked his drivers’ license and then they asked us what we were doing there then we told them we were visiting my sister Yolanda Schakron who lives there. After that then they said why [didn’t we indicate who we were from the beginning] but then my husband told them “but you know what you were shooting at us.” He said “no, no, no we were just trying to get your attention so you could stop because a vehicle matching this description that you’re in which is a grey Ford Ranger that is owned by my sister Yolanda was supposed to be involved in a robbery in Los Lagos and there were five young black men in there. First of all it was me and my husband in there. We had our windows rolled down so they could easily see us.”
Isani Cayetano
“I understand that you went ahead and filed a formal report to the Internal Affairs Department earlier this morning. How did that go?”
Lizette Armstrong
“Okay, yes we did. The gentleman that was there he was very nice. He took our reports down [and] he said that now they have some board that they refer to in Belmopan and then from there they’re going to investigate and then they’re going to see what’s going to come out of it. On our way from the office we met Mr. Blackett and he told me that they supposedly found out who these people were, the officers involved and he said “oh but the person who fired shot wasn’t one of the police officers.” He said it was one of the dog handlers who jumped into the vehicle, you know. That’s what he told me.”
Despite having filed a formal report with the Internal Affairs Department Armstrong says that she will not be pursuing further action and only wants the officer or officers involved to be dealt with accordingly. Fortunately no one was injured during the incident.
Too many ignorant cops around. Yet their bogus crimes are covered up by the government. Who are we supposed to turn to for protection??
It is sad to hear how people are being victimized by the same authorities, it`s just clear they incompetent just like the prime minister. The police department really need to take some personal relationship classes.
Ms. Armstrong, something about your story is not adding up. First you said you could not acertain whether or not it was your nephew’s vehicle behind you because head lights were on.Yet your husband was able to see that it was a red vehicle that was in pursuit. I know for a fact, no one can identify the color of an automobile with headlights on, if you are in front of that vehicle.NO ONE.
Let me hasten to say it was an abuse of power and poor judgement on the part of the police to be shooting at a moving vehicle in the dark while doing their investigations and you did the right thing in lodging a formal complaint to the relevant authorities. however, the inconsistencies in your story is what give defense Attornies a field day tearing your testimony apart, thus adding insult to your ingury.
It is another incidence where the police force is seen as incompetent– a mistake involving innocent people. But cannot they figure out criminals act, behave and drive differently. The police force need a complete overhaul. What type of police training and formation are they getting, Mr. Police School? Belize force is heading to the one in Mexico where the leaders of the Zeta and other criminal gangs are headed by former police and army officers. The police training and formation they get is a card to later join violent gangs; so a thorough interview and screening should be done for police and BDF intake.
A one sided story does not allow any kind of reasonable response. What happened to the other side? Let’s ask why is it that certain people are always coming in contact with the law? What is the common factor here?
Leon, you are right. There must be another side to this story. As highlighted by Louisville, certain things don’t add up. Mrs Armstrong also said ” so my husband looked in the mirror and saw the police. It was a red police vehicle he said.”
I know that Belize Police ha, over time gotten this the reputation of being abusive… However, must we continue to lash out on all police officers after hearing only one side of a story, and then still expect them to be there for us when we need then.
It seem the Shackron/ Galvez family would have us believe that every police officer in Belize, even those who might not be able to even recognize them, have been given directed to harras and intimidate. Even Channel’s 5 intro to this story insinuates such an agenda. I find it very hard to believe. I join Leon in asking the question, why is it that certain people are always coming in contact with the law?
Police officers need to be more responsible with their firearms. Belizeans are abused everyday by these men in law enforcement. It seems that the police department has no one running it. I ask where is the minister of police. Doug Singh this force has deteriorated more under your command.
SHOOTING AT THEM TO GET THEIR ATTENTION………………….
I THINK THAT’S WHY THEY MADE FLASHING LIGHTS FOR THE TOPS OF POLICE CARS.
30 YEARS LATER………..ARE WE ANY BETTER OFF??????????????????
Schakron and Galvez family are really abusing a lot of stuff lately… she belives she is a hero in who’s eye sight i dont know she is fake using greiving mothers for her political gain.. they wants attention now you guys must remember your pass will catch up to you. then you have a group of lawyers who is entertaining them as something happen they run to these criminals rescue Belizean wake up these people = Fraud !!!!!
Remember guys…The Barrow administration do not like dissent. Any persons who attempt to oppose this government whether in action or ideology is considered an enemy of state. Such entity is then blacklisted and then targeted or threatened. If you can read from the story, the people were in Yolanda’s pickup. Since when do police fire at civilians to get there attention? Clearly it was an act of intimidation against Yolanda Shackron. Remember they were staging a peaceful protest this weekend along with Cola. Go figure….
If police were shooting at them, wouldnt there be bullet holes in the car? I mean although her story don’t add up, because apparently the vehicle was close enough for her husband to make out the colour and that it was a police vehicle. The police could have been shooting warning shots in the air to get them to stop. I have seen police vehicle here without sirens so they fire warning shots in the air. I do agree with the above statement from leon leon. Any coincidence that they get constantly harrassed? i mean everyone knows what they do and that their sons are no law abiding citizens. If you do $#!%, the scent will follow you my friends.
I would have a tendency to believe them. I’m not a trouble maker and have a legal income and pay all taxes. I’m from work to home and don’t venture out at night. There are alot of good cops but there is alot of roque police officers too.
Unfortunately I was in the wrong place and at the wrong time as I was harassed unnecessarily by a police officer. Perhaps he was high on drugs as he was totally ignorant without any sense of understanding. I could easily summarize that all police officers are like him but I think this was just a crazy man that went unfiltered into the police system. I think they are alot of criminals under the disguise of the police uniform and powers. There must be some additional measures taken to filter these officers that somehow end up in the system. That’s just one of the problem.
MISS SHACKRON IS SUFFERING FROM SOME KIND OF MENTAL ILLNESS, SHE IS THE ONLY PERSON IN THE BELIZE THAT ALWAYS COMPLAINS THAT POLICE SHOOTS HER VEHICLE OF BURN IT. I WONDER WHY SHE COMES UP WITH ALL THESE STORIES, SOUND FISHY AND SMELLS OF TILAPIA!!!!
SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THIS LADY YOU KNOW, SHE COMPLAIN OF THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER, FOR SURE SHE DOESN’T SOUND REAL,
SHE HAS SOME AGENDA BEHIND ALL THIS COMPLAINING.
hahhaha !@$%ing bracket should be fired for covering up the criminal/police officer involved in the shooting…..Mr.Braket and the police dept’ da lone JOKE, them look like a bunch a clowns ,it was the dog handlers that shoot at the shakron family according to braket,he tinks he can fool the people like how barrow d do…what else can we expect from the police dept,they are incompetent and they are just behaving as the PM/ GOB. lone coverup as always.
tanx God we have goooooooooooood people as Mrs.Yolanda shakron for fighting for the poor people of this country,and while doing that she and others fighting for justice are a treat to the current GOB, and of course she/they will be abused,we know her vehicle [Ms.Shakron] was burned down,well for what is going with too much abuse of power by govt’ we can expect anyting from the police,govt’……..GOB are claiming they are fighting for the Belizean people,in what way? we are being abused/victimised by the same govt’ and police. and with the new law we no longer can go to court to fight for our rights………so SAD.
i agree they are all some money suckers and play saint infront of people…i, like alot of other pple have becomed victims of that family! but like u said the past will catch up to them. including rachel armstrong the puppet for mega bingo
I know that they have some bad Cop but I would also ask why is it that these people always comes in contact with the police.however I think that the police should have done a better approached but that is only one side of the story , Dough Singh don`t have any police experience so I don`t expect anything from him.
you are right they are some money sucker.playing saint fronta pple wen they are bad pple sending hits.i know alot of pple that have becomed victims of them, know thier deeds and just like mega bingo’s little pupet Rachel armstrong.open ur eyes blz! but like wat vybz kartel says Wat goes up Must come down!
listen to enough enough knows what is going on these people are involved in high level illegal activity. They are fraud it is just a front beware of the donas the police ain’t no fool they have good intelligence on these fraudsters parading as victims. It is one of the biggest undercover set up ever and poor Belizeans, so much into ourselves, sallow any crap they put in front of us.
What the cops did here can’t be justified.
What the cops did here can’t be justified.
All true statements, but if the cops were innocent, why didnt they come out and say so and defend themselves better, it is the peoples court that will decide the faith of the udp government and these rogue police officers. But at the end of the day, it does no good to the police dept. if they stay quiet and take the hit if this is some sort of fraud..! Why dont they start suing all those people who come out and cry wolf..about police brutality. and damn the media for always taking sides of the criminals who police are bringing to justice…its like because sensationalism sells.. well the media will be opportunistic and make money off it..mean time we lose faith in law enforcement, seclude them, then expect them to still solve our social problems…
All these people who are commenting are Police Officers them need to get the sense. The way them talk you know them have nothing good to say. Them need to shut up i bet if the Shakron n Galvez family was giving them money they wouldn’t have been harassing so much. The whole police department da corruption. All of them are #***& man!!!