Brodie’s Clerk Found Along Carnival Route with Gun

Darren Dawson

Throughout the many festivities on carnival day, the Belize Police Department was working overtime to keep criminals at bay.  Along the parade route officers kept a watchful eye for suspicious activity and were able to intercept an onlooker who came to the event prepared for a brief shootout.  Thirty-two-year-old Darren Dawson, a resident of Neal’s Pen Road, was busted at the corner of North Creek and Seagull Street with a nine millimeter Beretta pistol and two live rounds of ammunition.  According to police, the warehouse clerk at James Brodie was driving a brown Mazda car when he was stopped and searched.

Marco Vidal

Supt. Marco Vidal, Regional Commander, Eastern Division South

“As Mr. Romero mentioned earlier, police officers were in the J’ouvert in as much as they were in the carnival process and during that carnival parade there were several operations going on simultaneously and as a result of that operation, one person was found with a pistol and he is expected to be charged this morning, or arraigned before the court this morning, rather.”

Reporter

“Okay, now I know on carnival day it is a law enforcement nightmare because you have so much alcohol involved all along the route.  You have so much bizarre activities happening and we have received a number of reports on stabbings and other altercations, which in the context is, to some extent, regrettably to be expected when so many people are drinking for six hours straight waiting for the carnival, or recovering from the carnival.  Are you able to speak about those small skirmishes?”

Supt. Marco Vidal

“Well there were several little altercations, none that we have received any report about anybody being stabbed. There were little skirmishes but nothing where we have received any report of any stabbings occurring and that kind of thing.  We do know that there were some altercations, yes.  Whether those persons have decided to make a report is another matter but we have not received any reports about some of these incidents.”

Dawson has since been charged for kept unlicensed firearm and ammunition and is on remand at the Belize Central Prison.