Did police lie about shootout?

Each week the police press office issues to the media dozens of reports on crimes committed nationwide. And while media houses know better than to rely too heavily on the often inaccurate details, it is unusual that an entire police account is deemed a fabrication. But that’s exactly what residents of one Belize City neighbourhood are saying tonight: that cops opened fire with absolutely no provocation.

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
Residents of Louise Bevans Street in the Port Loyola area say these five bullet holes embedded in the walls of the family’s house of Deputy Commissioner of Police Maureen Leslie came from a policeman’s gun. They claim the cops went on a shooting spree in the neighbourhood around ten on Friday night.

According to the police, an internal investigation has been launched to determine exactly what transpired over the weekend. But according to a mobile patrol that was on duty in the area they were responding to gunshots and that upon investigating the team came under fire by a lone gunman they have identified as nineteen year old Kyle Murillo, a resident of number ten Louise Bevans Street. Today, however, at least a dozen families dispute the police claims and say it was only the police who fired shots; that Murillo was not armed but was holding a bottle of Guinness Stout in his hand that they believe police mistook to be the shiny object they described as a weapon.

Naomi Scott, Area Resident
“We di seh that they lie and then they just wah pin that pan he because they noh have no proof. They deh out yah di do lone fool instead ah they really di buckle down pan the serious crime, they di following up simple things like this and then innocent people di get shot.”

June Barber, Mother, Kyle Murrillo
“The amount ah shots weh yuh hear, only God mi deh with mi son and that’s why he never dead.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“And it was only the police who were firing?”

June Barber
“Only the police, nobody else had no gun, only the police … because one of his friends mi just get pay and dah beer they mi di drink, about three or four of them in the park.”

According to the area residents Murillo was along with his friends, including this young woman, at the Louise Bevans Park when the police pickup truck pulled up.

Shafray Trapp, Eyewitness
“When I mi going through the park inna the night like three bwai (boys) mi di hang out inna the park first then afterwards Kyle come ride inna the park and afterwards he stop and talk to me fi wah lee while and said something, but I never really hear weh he seh because I mi di go across the street to buy. And therefore it look like he never really see the police vehicle behind he di come and when he come, he stop and afterwards the vehicle stop and it noh even really stop exactly good and di police weh mi deh at the back of the vehicle come out and fire one shot. And therefore I stop because I seh he never mi wah fired no more shot afterwards, so I hold he and when the police conscious—look like the bwai they run, they continued fire lot more shots.”

As people ran to avoid the bullets, a number of residents ended up inside the Deputy Police Commissioner’s family home. Maureen Leslie’s mom was in bed and a number of others were playing cards at the back of the property.

Shafary Trapp
“Wah shot catch inna fi we house, grazed my uncle’s ears. By my granny window too because that dah the reason why she got up because she hear the shot and afterwards she couldn’t tek it so she get up, she wah know what dah the problem because everybody mi inna di yard di play feech, dominoes, everybody di play. And when they hear the shot everybody end up scattered pan the ground, tumble up, di hurt up themselves di trample up themselves fi try run inside from the bullet because the police they noh want stop shoot.”

Leslie’s family members, who did not wish to appear on camera, told News Five that Murillo had no gun, but the only shots fired came from one of the police officers. According to the family, there were so many shots that their backyard filled with smoke and when it all cleared they had removed at least five expended shells.

Shafray Trapp
“Then when my aunty they start to rail up (complain), my aunty start to rail up at the police why they are firing so much shots. And when my aunt, Doreth Bevans, di tell them about it, the police officer fired two shots front ah fi she face inna the air and just laugh in my aunty’s face.’

Doreth Bevans is the sister of Deputy Police Commissioner Maureen Leslie. Other area residents expressed them concern over the incident.

Christine Baizar, Area Resident
“I concerned because this dah wah peaceful neighbourhood and house deh so close to one another and anybody could ah mi get shot. And they di accuse Kyle and Kyle never fire no shot because I seh if Kyle mi fire shot—everybody di run come this side and if he mi fire shot, he woulda mi have to swing back and fire shot and somebody else woulda mi get shot and he never have no gun, dah Guinness pint he mi had.”

But why would the police target Kyle Murrillo? The area residents strongly suspect they may have mistaken him for Brandon Taylor, who they had been looking for ever since Taylor allegedly opened fire on the police in an incident that occurred October fourth.

Ras Trans, Area Resident
“He got wah little resemblance you know, but the youth got locks, check, the youth got locks. So dehn (those) police weh mi deh in that vehicle they know who dah Brandon too and they know who dah this youth too, you see weh I di seh? So they coulda mi see from then that this youth dah noh really Brandon, check. Weh I noh like dah when they di come inna fi we neighbourhood di shoot up their gun thing and you could kill innocent people.”

The area residents also claim that one of the police bullets also shattered the windshield of this neighbour’s pickup truck.

Today as June Barber made preparations to visit her son at Hattieville prison, she says she wants justice and for the police to do only the right thing.

June Barber
“The Commissioner, I think all of them know exactly what happened already. They know and they suppose to do the right thing instead ah abuse the thing. I grow up inna police because my father was a policeman and if I know if my son mi wrong I mi wah admit it. But my son mi just left home, so I know he never had nothing; one beer pint he had.”

On Monday night Deputy Commander of Eastern Division, Senior Superintendent of Police Chester Williams said preliminary investigations revealed that the police only responded after Kyle Murillo opened fire on the mobile patrol officers.

Sr. Supt. Chester Williams, Deputy Commander, Eastern Division
“He fired several shots at the officers and continued on making on good his escape. Efforts were made to apprehend him that said night, but due to poor cooperation on the part of people within the area, the police were unsuccessful in his apprehension. Nonetheless, on Sunday he was apprehended by the police and he has since been arrested and charged in relation to his shooting after the police officers.”

According to area residents, the police fired between twenty-five and thirty shots. Meanwhile the high command says the department has launched an internal investigation into the incident. Today police also informed News five that twenty-one year old Brandon Taylor has been charged with Aggravated Assault, Damage to Property, and Robbery following a report made by Albert Waller who told police that it was Taylor who held him at gun point and robbed him of fifty dollars.