A police officer has been charged following a shooting incident on Thursday night in Punta Gorda Town. PC Felix Hernandez was with his common-law wife when he got into an altercation with another man who happens to be the ex-partner of his common-law wife. Reports are that Hernandez later observed the individual damaging his vehicle’s windshield. As a result, Hernandez pulled out his license firearm and fired a single shot at the individual that caught him in the stomach. ComPol Williams told us more.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“Yes that matter emanated where an ex-boyfriend went and was damaging the vehicle of the girl and the girl is now with the police man, PC Fernandez. When they came, they encountered him breaking the vehicle and as a result there was an altercation between him and the police and the police fired a shot which caught him in the stomach area. Based on that the police has been charged and the police is going to court today.”
It was all-out mayhem inside the M.C.C. Grounds on Sunday morning, following a football match between Kelly Street Football Club and Fort George Football Club. The two teams are competing in the William Dawson Peace Cup, a football tournament organized by the Belize Police Department. The objective of the competition is to curb crime and violence through sports by bringing rival gangs together to compete against each other. Over the past few years, these tournaments have been concluded with little to no incidents. But, that changed on Sunday morning. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Before the start of the game between Kelly Street FC and Fort George FC, this white SUV is seen leaving the venue, following what appeared to be a brief misunderstanding between some individuals in attendance. The bleacher was filled with fans from both teams. Though these fans came from rival communities, as do the players, this display of unity mirrors the objective set out by organizers of the William Dawson Peace Cup.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police.
“At the end of the day like you said, the police are engaged in doing intervention through sports. What we have been doing through the William Dawson Sprite Tournament as well as the William Dawson Peace Cup which is football activity, one was the basketball and the football, is to bring the different groups from rivalling communities together to ensure that we can do intervention with them through sports.”
Fifty-five minutes into the game, Fort George FC scored a goal that Kelly Street FC did not agree with. They argued that the ball went out of bounds. One fan is seen on the field confronting the referee. He issued a red card to a Kelly Street football player and police officers made their way on the field to escort that player off. After much back and forth and a lengthy break, the game resumed. Fort George FC won three goals to two. That tension moved off the field. An argument ensued between a group of fans. Two police officers took a piece of wood from one fan who was wielding it as a weapon. That fan then made his way down the bleacher along with a woman. Things escalated quickly as both players and fans from the rival communities engaged in an all-out brawl. In response, an officer pulled out his firearm and fired two warning shots in the air. But, that did not work to stop the brawl.
Chester Williams
“Yes of course these are people who have issues with each other, and it is anticipated that things may go wrong, or not according to how we may expect and the police will be there to ensure that they keep the peace, to neutralize whatever may occur. And I think the police did a good job to make sure they were able to contain the issue or to prevent it from escalating further. So, I must commend the police officers for their job well done.”
Here one player and a female fan faced off, and again things got physical. There were sufficient police officers present to break up the group. Another angle of the mayhem, captured on amateur video shows the moment the warning shots were fired, and how one police officer, armed with a piece of wood, was in the thick of the brawl. Douglas Hyde, the organizer of the tournament, is seen with his hand to his waist as he too instructed a group of guys on the nearby street to back away. In the parking lot, the rival groups continued to exchange words. Spurred on by police, a group of men got into a white SUV and left the ground. ComPol Williams was asked if this incident is a blackeye for the department.
Chester Williams
“Why would it be a blackeye. The police are trying to bring rivalling groups together to make them understand that there is more to life than fighting with each other. If something goes wrong, it doesn’t mean that it is a black eye. We must stop look at things from a negative standpoint and see the good in what is being done.”
The individuals involved spent the night behind bars. News Five has done extensive coverage of both the William Dawson Basketball Tournament and the William Dawson Peace Cup. Notably, this is the first time that an incident of this nature has occurred.
Chester Williams
“From what I was made to understand it started because of two women. Again we will look at it and see how we can deal with the issue.”
And, though that brawl may have occurred between residents from two feuding communities, ComPol Williams says there has been an increasing number of public fights that are posing a challenge to cops. He spoke to one incident outside of a Belize City nightclub over the weekend involving a group of women. He says the physical altercation stemmed from a love triangle involving basketball athletes.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“I looked at the fight in front of Shisha over the weekend and again you can see where a number of ladies, engaged in a fight. From what I am told they are fighting over basketball players that come from abroad that they don’t even know. It makes you really wonder what we are coming to. Nonetheless some of them are in custody and they will be charged and taken before the courts today. I am proposing to the cabinet to increase the penalty for persons who are engaged in unlawful fights in public. I think the current penalty as stipulated in the law is too miniscule and there is a need for us to upgrade that and hopefully that can serve as a deterrent to people to know that if they engage in fights in public it is going to cost their pockets a lot of money.”
Reporter
“How does it make you feel to get all these footages being in the month of women month to see these things play out in public eyes.”
Chester Williams
“Well it is very dreadful to see that women are behaving in such a way. Normally in society we look up to women. All of us came from women and we expect the women among us are going to display behavior that are worthy of being emulated. But when we see women behaving in such a way it is very distasteful and whenever I get the video footage, I would send it to the police and tell them to arrest and charge. We cannot have a society where people have unlawful fights in public and go uncharged. That cannot be the order of the day.”
Goodnight and welcome to another edition of Sports Monday, I am Paul Lopez. We begin tonight’s coverage with an epic showdown of strength and discipline over the weekend inside the Saint John’s College Gymnasium. The Belize Powerlifting Association hosted its National Championships. Over the course of two days, twenty-one male and fourteen female powerlifters competed in their respective age and weight classes. For those who may be unfamiliar with the discipline, it entails three attempts and maximal weight on three lifts: squats, bench press, deadlifts.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Most of these athletes prepare year-round for these competitions. After two days, winners were declared in each category, but the monster events were the male and female open. In the female open, Belize’s strongest female, Mary Gonzalez, won gold overall, Joylynne Smith secured the silver medal and Jaqueline Alas took home the bronze medal. In the male open, Belize’s strongest man, Kaylon Godoy took home gold, with an incredible seven hundred- and sixty-five-pounds deadlift. He had his young fans out showing support. Leo Matura showed tremendous improvements this year. He secured the silver medal, while Khalid Usher tool home the bronze medal. From powerlifting we move into some football action.
The William Dawson Peace Cup is in the eleventh week of its 2024 season. This weekend saw four games played inside the MCC Grounds. We bring you highlights from the match between Kelly Street FC and Fort George FC. The first forty-five minutes of the match between these two teams saw great defensive and offensive prowess on both ends of the field. No goals were scored at the end of the first half, though the competitiveness of these teams was on full display. Ten minutes into the second half, the ball finds number seventeen for Fort George at the top of the goal. Number eleven for Kelly Streets stays on his side. The ball appears to go out of bound and the defenders raises his arm. But there is no whistle and a kick from inside the penalty box by Devin Bermudez placed Fort George on top.
The referee got into a heated debate with players from Kelly Street FC that led to the issuance of two red cards, the involvement of police officers and a threat from the losing team to discontinue the match. Eventually cooler heads prevailed, and the match continued with Kelly Street down two players. At the seventy-fourth minute, Fort George’s Carlos Lino was brought down inside the penalty box from a hard tackle. The referee awarded him a penalty kick and he made it count. The match ended in favor of Fort George FC, three goals to two.
And finally for tonight, the Cycling Federation of Belize, in collaboration with the Belize Electricity Limited hosted the twenty-third annual Junior and Youth Cross Country Cycling Classic. The male riders raced from San Ignacio to Belize City. The female riders journeyed from La Democracia Village to Belize City. Just outside of Belmopan, Chavarria’s Cycling Team’s Kthan Gentle and PDP Development Racing’s Kevin Rojas have gained a significant lead and are on their own out front. An hour later and it’s still these two young riders maintaining the lead, while the chase group worked to close the gap.
With twenty miles left in the race, GFlow’s Jaylen Briceno emerged from the chase group and made contact with the two lead riders. Kthan Gentle was dropped at mile eleven, leaving Briceno and Rojas at front going into Belize City. Approximately one mile from the finish line, Rojas began cramping up and Jaylen Briceno took hold of the opportunity. Briceno crossed the finish line alone in first place. Rojas came behind him in second place, followed by Gflow’s Keith Enwright Junior in third place.
Jaylen Briceno
Jaylen Briceno, Junior Cross Country Champion
“This is definitely the hardest race of the season so far. My legs were cramping, I didn’t think I was gonna finish on top. I started praying when I crossed the bridge, please let something happen. Thank goodness the man cramped up right on the last stretch, that is when I took the advantage to attack on come into the line. Big kudos to my teammates, to all my family.”
Well folks, that is all we have for you in tonight’s coverage of Sports Monday. Catch you in the next one.
A press conference is currently underway at the Prime Minister’s office in Belize City between CWU and government representatives. The Christian Workers Union, on behalf of the stevedores, has apparently reached an amicable agreement with the Government of Belize regarding recent issues at the Port of Belize that resulted in a work-to-rule last week.
As we reported last week, employees of P.B.L. effected a work-to-rule after repeatedly demanding that the government compensate them for sugar redundancies after the shipment of bulk sugar was relocated to Big Creek a few years ago.
Jamaica has witnessed a decrease in birth rates in recent years, with medical experts attributing lower sperm counts among young men to the use of skin-bleaching creams.
During the American College of Obstetrician and Gynaecologists (ACOG) West Indies Section’s Infertility Update, held at the Summit Kingston hotel in New Kingston, Dr. Kamali Carroll highlighted the global decline in sperm quality. She emphasised the role of various risk factors, including obesity, chronic illnesses, and excessive marijuana use, with skin bleaching creams emerging as a significant concern locally.
Dr. Jordan Hardie, chairman of the ACOG West Indies Section, said that the rising infertility rates in Jamaica, citing data that indicated a decline in birth rates and fertility in both genders.
A fire in San Ignacio Town broke out at around 12:30 a.m. today. Juan Tzib and his family were asleep in their residence on Rodriguez Street when the fire broke out. Tzib was awakened by his daughter, who alerted him to the fire.
It is suspected that the fire began in a “back room” in the yard. The fire spread quickly, and the family was not able to save anything.
No one was injured. Firefighters are investigating the cause.
If you would like to help the family, you can contact 621-4179.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported on Saturday that one of its aid containers, containing crucial supplies for maternal, neonatal, and child survival, was looted at Haiti’s main port, amidst increasing control of the capital by gangs.
Associated Press
Approximately 260 humanitarian-owned containers are under the control of armed groups. Bruno Maes, UNICEF’s representative in Haiti, condemned the looting. He emphasised its detrimental impact on children in urgent need of assistance. The looted container contained essential items such as resuscitators and related equipment. Maes called for an immediate end to looting and emphasised the necessity of ensuring safe humanitarian access amid the escalating crisis. Armed groups breached the main port a week earlier, disrupting the flow of essential food and supplies to the capital.
Haiti is experiencing a critical shortage of basic healthcare and nutrition access for women in the Port-au-Prince area. Nationwide shortages of electricity, fuel, and medical supplies have crippled hospitals, with six out of ten facilities unable to operate effectively.
AFP via Getty Images
Haiti continues to grapple with a protracted political and humanitarian crisis, resulting in severe hunger and life-threatening malnutrition in parts of Port-au-Prince.
In response to the crisis, unelected Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced plans to step down once a transitional council is established. However, the capital remains heavily influenced by armed gangs, leading to widespread violence, including killings, kidnappings, and sexual assaults.
Police have charged one of their own for the crime of aggravated assault with a firearm. Thirty-six-year-old police officer Felix Hernandez was charged with shooting Richard Valerio on Thursday, March 14th.
The incident happened at the Punta Gorda sports auditorium. Fernandez told police that he and his common-law wife were attending a basketball game when they were harassed by Richard Valerio, the ex-partner of Fernandez’s wife, who made threatening remarks. Fernandez attempted to avoid confrontation by relocating, but Valerio persisted with profanity.
When Fernandez decided to leave and requested an escort to his vehicle, he discovered Valerio damaging his car with rocks, prompting Fernandez to intervene. After Valerio threw a rock at Fernandez, missing him, Fernandez fired a single shot from his licenced 9mm pistol in Valerio’s direction. Valerio sustained injuries to his lower back and was taken to the Punta Gorda Hospital for treatment.
Police continue to search for Jamie Young, the man investigators say fatally shot thirty-year-old Damion Baptist. According to the official police report, officers were called out to an area near mile nine on the Philip Goldson Highway. At the scene, police found a red Ford Fusion crashed into a lamp post. They also observed bullet holes on the front passenger side.
Scene of crashed red Ford
Baptist was driving the car while twenty-nine-year-old Laneedrah Dawson, Young’s ex-girlfriend, was in the passenger seat. They were travelling from Ladyville Village towards Belize City when Young began following them in his grey Wingle. Between miles eight and nine on the highway, Young overtook them, halted his vehicle, and discharged multiple shots, injuring Baptist. An ambulance passing by rushed Baptist to the KHMH, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
