Atlantic bank robbery and shooting; two employees shot
There are two murders and two shooting incidents that occurred over the weekend. But a third shooting incident occurred just before two this afternoon. It was a brazen bank robbery attempt at the Atlantic Bank Ladyville Branch. Two employees were shot during a struggle with the robbers and are lucky to be alive. Our news team was the first on the scene, moments after the incident occurred. Viewers be warned that the following video of the Atlantic Bank heist is explicit. News Five’s Isani Cayetano Reports.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
On the ground outside the bank lies Ion McBean writhing in agony. His leg has been wrapped with a tourniquet made of his uniform. He is one of two gunshot victims in a mid-afternoon holdup. Shortly afterwards a BDF patrol responds to the scene while McBean and his injured colleague Dalton Watler are still awaiting an ambulance. Watler then emerges from the office bleeding profusely from the right side of his head. Surprisingly, he is able to maintain his wit about him while being escorted to a waiting vehicle. McBean is also assisted to the pickup and they are both whisked to the Force Medical Center at Price Barracks before subsequently being transferred to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Moments later a team of security guards as well as the screaming ambulance arrive, followed by more police officers.
Shortly before two o’clock this afternoon a trio of armed men entered the Atlantic Bank Ladyville Branch. Inside at the time were at least five people; the branch manager who was inside the restroom brushing his teeth, a teller, who was already in the process of reconciling his money and a customer, as well as two security guards, Ion McBean and Dalton Watler. One of the men, later described by an employee as the burliest of the three with dreadlocks, then produced a firearm. Immediately, the officers took notice and a struggle ensued during which the glass door at the entrance was shattered. The impression on the mirrored glass bares the impact of the hit.
As the melee continued the teller ran into the lavatory to alert his superior of the incident unfolding in the lobby. Shots were then fired, he said, as many as three. Of those rounds one bullet grazed this officer’s head while another penetrated the upper right leg of his partner. It is unclear whether the assailants succeeded in robbing the bank or if the attempt was foiled by the reaction of the guards. What is certain is that the trio escaped unscathed, leaving behind two injured men whose service weapons were lifted during the scuffle.
According to a resident of the area today’s holdup is the fourth assault armed robbers have made on the premises which includes an Esso service station and the Ladyville Post Office. Interestingly, in another unrelated incident, Celina’s Bar, a popular nightspot in Ladyville also came under fire on Sunday evening when a group of men disgorged a grey sedan and took aim at several patrons of the establishment. The pockmarks on the outside walls are evidence of the attack. While no one was injured in that shooting Ladyville police are tonight investigating both incidents. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.
The country is in deep crisis and this uselessvimpotent gov. Are still in office when are you people going to take action and kick this pm and gov. Out of office when it is too late when eighter you or one of your family is shot in the head wake up belizeans don’t you see what is happening in the country total mayhem total lawlessness because there is no leadership in the land the people in charge are all on vacation in la spending your hard earned money on fancy hotels and restaurants while while people are being killed in the country I tell you this is the worse pm and gov in the history of Belize guan barrow guannnnnnnn before I stone you with mi shoes.
that is useless which every gov is in that will not solve the crime problem.
When people wah stop blame government? Everybody blame government fu everything. PUP, UDP… People always blame them…. Go do the job and si how much betta unu cud do. Unu no kno weh di go on inna di world today or what??? Crisis deh everywhere… wake up… da no government… da di people weh continue blame our governments mek di evil have the chance fu continue… why u no just blame di people weh di do it??? I no si no government di set dem up fu go shoot nobody
The government cant do anything about what’s happening in Belize; the fact is that “most” Belizeans are dropping out of school, not going to school to begin with and mothers are having “pickney” left right n center and they cant afford it. These kids will start out begging, stealing then kill. My adivce is be prepare for it to spew over like a bubbling pot.
My concern is, this location, the very same location has been robbed FOUR times, when are they going to invest in some camera system, or do they enjoy being robbed!!! Very strange to me, answer to your problem..beef-up security!!!!
Some people in society are just ruthless and want a quick buck rather than working for it. It don’t matter which Government is in power my friend. People that have jobs are still committing crimes. This is a direct result of lack of parenting and the values instilled in them growing up as a child and Falling into gangs to feel like they are gangsters and the fact that police don’t follow procedures to increase conviction rates. Like i said before, don’t be a part of the problem. Offer solutions my friend. Be a real Bealizean and stop be a narrow minded hater. Makings of a criminal mind.
The day of reckoning is upon us my fellow Belizeans. The criminals are finally starting to hit the true criminals of this country, we are in full swing social and economic breakdown, yet the media houses can’t seem to report on this. But, why should they, they are all making money off the misery and destruction of Belizeans.
@Real…………THE GOVERNMENT IS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING LAW & ORDER!!!
Government to be blamed huh? Really? Wake up Rod! I guess when the PUP were there the country was peacefull!
Rod, you missed the boat just like all the “leaders” of the country!
I am not for either parties but seem no reasonable solution there is to crime, the best solution in my opinion is to declare Martial Law , have the BDF presence in full swing (not just a few i mean the whole force patrolling ) and “shoot first then ask questions” type of deal then maybe these belizeans will respect and understand freedom a bit more.
I am not for either parties but seem no reasonable solution there is to crime, the best solution in my opinion is to declare Martial Law , have the BDF presence in full swing (not just a few i mean the whole force patrolling ) and “shoot first then ask questions” type of deal then maybe these belizeans will respect and understand freedom a bit more.
I agree with you CEO. Dem forget who started all this selling and corruption in Belize, it was the PUP government, first thing dem sell Rockville and had to turn around buy rocks from the people they sold it to, how dump was that. They got money under the table, to sell everything that they could sell. As for, crime nothing will be done about it, the police they, always keep saying we are investigating and after a couple of days you don’t hear anything more about it, until the next killing.
I remember back in the days when i was a kid.if i wanted to go to the movies or rather matinee
me and my brothers and sister had to be good all week and go to church and sundat school before we could go anywhere
one thing we get from church and sundayschool was a concience and be tolerant and respectful of other people, their goods and property
we never go out of the way to to hurt or harm , not to say we ever got into fights or stuff like that but we get to walk away and not have to worry about what may happen tomorrow
nowadays people want to be rewarded with out effort and there is no such thing my belizean friends
put god first and then deal with the gobment