Machete brawl ends with 1 man chopped and another shot by police

Raphael Martinez

Not far away on Regent Street, there was another shooting which involved a pair of Belize City men and the police. It started with an altercation in front of the Commercial Center where twenty-nine year old Nigel Castillo and thirty-four year old Jason Tillett were socializing at a bar earlier that day.  The owner of the bar says Castillo left and returned shortly before nine o’clock on Thursday night wielding a machete.  Both men got into a fight and Tillett was chopped on the right hand.  Police Constable Andrews, who reported to the scene of the incident, attempted to break up the fight and the police say Castillo was shot by the cop when he continued advancing with the machete. Police Press Officer Raphael Martinez elaborated on the shooting.

Raphael Martinez, Police Press Officer

“At approximately 8:55 p.m. on the fifteenth November, police visited the K.H.M.H. where they saw twenty-nine year old Nigel Castillo of Belize City suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg and to the arm. And also Jason Tillett, thirty-four year old also of Belize City, with a chop wound to the arm. Initial investigation revealed that about 8:50 on the same night, both men were involved in a machete fight in front of the Commercial Center in Belize City. It is alleged that a police officer was passing and intervened and ordered both men to put down their weapons. Tillett complied and at that moment, Castillo continued to aggress Tillett and police had no choice but to subdue him with his licensed nine millimeter firearm; hence the injury sustained by Castillo. They are both at the K.H.M.H. at this time in a stable condition.”

Police retrieved two machetes and one nine millimeter expended shell casing from the scene.  Meanwhile, Tillett and Castillo were admitted in stable condition at the K.H.M.H.