Cpl. Victor Lima succumbs to gunshot wounds; he is hailed as a hero
Victor Lima
Corporal Victor Lima passed away after two a.m. this morning in the Intensive Care Unit of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where he in a critical condition since Tuesday night. The cop, who is now being called a hero, was shot while responding to a home invasion in Hattieville. Two bullets found their mark on his chest as he and other officers went to the house of Shakira Smith, who was being held at gunpoint along with a seventeen year old minor. The man believed to be responsible is thirty year old Delford Slusher, a resident of Bainsville. According to reports, Slusher was allegedly at the house looking for drugs. Slusher was picked up that same night, and according to police he was positively identified as the shooter. Slusher’s charge of attempted murder is expected to be upgraded to murder. Corporal Lima is the second police officer to die in the span of a week. The Minister of National Security this morning made a statement in the House, saluting the slain officer.
John Saldivar
John Saldivar, Minister of National Security
“On behalf of the Ministry of National Security and the entire Police Department and the nation of Belize, I want to extend deepest condolences to the family of Corporal 203 Victor Lima, who passed away early this morning at two a.m. at the K.H.M.H. hospital after undergoing two surgeries. The injuries that led to his death were sustained while in the line of duty on Tuesday night. Corporal Lima was thirty-five years old, born on October fifteenth, 1977 and was a resident of Benque Viejo Town in the Cay District. He was the son of Martina Cano and Lewis Lima, deceased. Corporal Victor Lima was a member of the Belize Police Department for over ten years. His posting at the time of his death was as a relief supervisor at the Hattieville Police Station. Just prior to that, he was a permanent beat officer with the patrol branch in Belize City, operating mainly in the Albert Street area.
DELFORD SLUSHER
Again, on behalf of the Ministry of National Security and the entire Police Department, the government and people of Belize, I extend deepest condolences to the family of Corporal 203 Victor Lima. I would also like to extend similar condolences to the family of another police officer who recently died as a result of a tragic accident on the Northern Highway. He is police constable 1300 Dion Trevor Makin. Again, on behalf of the Ministry of National Security, the Police Department and the nation of Belize, deepest condolences to the family of constable Dion Trevor Makin.”
Slusher was also charged with one count of aggravated burglary, two counts of unlawful imprisonment upon Shakira Smith and the seventeen year old girl.
Delford Slusher should get the death penalty or life imprisonment without parole.
So sad, he gave the last full measure of devotion to his country and its people. We must all remember what he sacrificed for our security.
Whatever unnecessary programs GOB can cut, we must spend more to protect officers with equipment like bullet-proof vests. Criminal bullets are just as deadly here as in the States, and our security forces need the best equipment available. Good equipment is especially important in a small nation like ours, where we have too few officers and every one has to count as many in a real time of danger.
I think we should explore a way to get gunshot victims treated by the best trauma surgeons available, too. There are a lot of military surgeons of several nations who have honed their skills to the highest point possible in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and just one of them in the Jewel, could make a miraculous difference in violent times like these.
As for Slusher? He must die, the sooner the better. It’s just and a good example.
Hero nothing this police man died. Because of the incompetence of this pm and gov .first all policemen should have bullet proof vest secondly was not trained properly by the police dept. third this man should have be flown to the us for treatment just like how barrows friend Rodwell was but because this man was not part of the barrows family and friends he was left to die in the Belize hospital now when he is dead they want to call him a hero well I’ll tell you it’s better to be alive than to be a dead hero why wasn’t he sent to the us I guess because his name is not barrow or Williams. My condolences to the family of Victor Lima make sure you sue this gov. For incompetence and make sure that all all police is given a bullet proof vest.
Hang his killer hang him by the neck till dead lets see what will happen when a minister is killed or a judge maybe then they will wake up and bring back the hanging penalty hang him high.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to the Lima family. Now the government should compensate his immediate family for such a tragic loss.
Hero? Now let’s not get carried away. Mr. Lima died in the line of duty. Nothing more, nothing less. But, he is definitely not a hero.
As Belizeans, we long to be like our big brother (United States). We live like them, we consume drugs like them, but let’s not start thinking like them, where cops bleed from razor bumps and they are called heros.
R.I.P. Brother Lima. We love you.
To the minister of gangs, i believe that instead of extending condolences to police offcicers , you should extend bullet proof vests and more protection to them. istead of payinf monies to gangs you should upgrade equipment for our officers. This is a disgrace.
So sad to hear about Officer Lima loosing his fight for life, my sincere prayers for peace is with his family. The killing of a peace officer while in the line of duty, should be punishable by death. In america this act is a death sentence. Let us see which of the smart attorneys will take this case and plead not guilty for this killer. Hattieville use to be a quiet place, I use to rather stay in the village than in the city, but I guess no where in Belize is safe anymore and no one is safe. Even if you stay away from these type of criminals they dont stay away from you. I pray that whatever this thing is that is over the country is lifted soon.
I’ve heard Cpl. Lima had to walk to the robbery house because his formation had no working vehicles, and there was none to drive him to the hospital.
At the same time I see every jackanape official in Belmopan cruising in highend new SUVs.
It’s more important to have serviceable police vehicles than to have flashy transportation for ministers, their friends, and families. Police save lives, the rest mostly just scheme to see what their country can do for them.
I think the civilian officials should take the bus and taxis, or walk, like Cpl. Lima walked to his death, until we have enough working police vehicles throughout the Jewel.
No Bulletproof vest huh maybe he thought he was too cool for it and if the Government of Belize did not provide this Police Constable a vest they should be held accountable for his death. Every Single Police Constable be it man or woman should wear a vest at all times of performing his or her duty let this be a lesson learn to all of you criminals are not afraid of shooting so you should be prepared by wearing….nuff said R.I.P Lima (Salutes)
Slusher beat a murder case in 2007 and it looks like the witnesses were intimidated and were a no-show in court. He was represented by Michael Peyrefitte, every man is entitled to representation, but it just seems incestuous when the people representing these criminals are in key positions influencing, drafting and passing the laws etc… This is not political or specific to Belize I just wanted to point out the irony of a system that allows a killer to kill another day…
It’s such a disgrace what is happening to our hard working officers as a result of this incompetent government’s ability to address the crime situation that’s plaguing our beautiful Jewel.
Uncle Benji, I don’t know who you are, I hope that what you write is just to get a rise out of the readers. Yes, Mr Lima died in the line of duty, that does not make his life any less valueable. If the life of one who is sworn to protect and defend the public is no more valuable than a criminal according to your perception, I am so sorry for you. I pray that you have no family that could be touched by any of this evil that is occuring in this country or worse yourself. Remember no man is an island.
Well said Al..Appreciate your statement..People rush to write senseless lines..
Said once more your wise words “no man is an island” And “No man is alone…” R.I.P Bro Lima..