On Wednesday, a group of tourists was involved in an accident on the Hummingbird Highway after the driver, Juan Esquivel, a forty-seven-year-old tour guide, lost control of the vehicle and ran off the road. The van was transporting a group of tourists, consisting of several teachers and students. They were transported to the Western Regional Hospital for observation and according to reports, at least one minor suffered a sprained ankle. However, no serious injuries were reported. As Hurricane Beryl approaches the region, Belize will continue to experience heavy rainfall and flooding. Considering this, the Belize Police Department advises the public to exercise caution when travelling on wet roads and avoid flooded areas. In an advisory from the department, motorists are cautioned to slow down during and after rainfall, avoid making sudden turns or lane changes, and be mindful of debris on the roadways.
Category: Cayo District
Free Mangoes, Anyone?
It’s mango season in Belize and, unless you have your own tree to enjoy the succulent fruit at your heart’s content, you would have to purchase them from vendors. But there is one family on the George Price Highway that shares mangoes for free to anyone who wants. Crystal Bautista tells News Five that, in a world of violence, they just want to spread kindness and love. So, if you like mangoes and are passing near mile thirty-eight on the George Price highway and see the hand-written sign marked “Free Mangoes”, it is not a trick. Bautista says you’re welcome to take as many as you want.
Crystal Bautista, Resident, St. Matthew’s Village
“We have a lot of trees and All the mangoes are just falling off, so instead of letting it waste, we just give people it, just mek them have some.”
Marion Ali
“Okay, that’s very kind of you; people who have mango trees usually sell the mangoes.
Crystal Bautista
“Yes, ma’am, but we prefer give it away. We don’t want to sell it, just to put out the kindness out there. People stop and still ask if it’s free. If da true ih free. We tell them yes, it’s free. They could get how much they want.”
Marion Ali
“If yoh want two, you could get it. If you want wa bag full, you could get it?”
Crystal Bautista
“Yes, ma’am.”
Marion Ali
“And if people want to buy it, do you sell them?”
Crystal Bautista
“No, we don’t sell it. If they want to leave something, they leave it. If not, dehn could just ker it. Yes, ma’am.”
Marion Ali
“Very good. And this is every day?”
Crystal Bautista
“Yes, ma’am. Every day.”
ComPol Says Police are Going After Gangs in Twin Towns
A bitter feud that continues to play out among rival groups in the west, claimed the life of Anthony Smith on Sunday night in Santa Elena Town. The thirty-year-old Avella Street resident, according to Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, was a suspect in a deadly shooting incident that ultimately claimed the life of David Galindo several weeks ago. The attack on Galindo, who was also shot while purchasing food in Santa Elena, led to members of his family storming the San Ignacio Community Hospital and coercing the medical staff into providing emergency treatment to the shooting victim. It’s a problem that the Commissioner of Police hopes to resolve with the establishment of a separate precinct in Santa Elena in the coming weeks. The twin towns, he says, are not part of the existing state of emergency.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“We have to understand that, one: the San Ignacio/Santa Elena area is not under SOE, so please don’t try to… you introduced it first by saying, “since the SOE.” So, in other words, you’re trying to pull that into the SOE which should not be. We have to understand that as police officers, we are creatures of law. There are several things that we would like to do to make sure that criminals are place where they belong, but we cannot do it because we don’t have the legal authority. While there are certain things that we want to get done, it is going to take a little time. I have met with the people of San Ignacio/Santa Elena explained to them what we are doing and that process is underway. We are still hoping that the police station for Santa Elena is going to be completed within the one month timeframe that we had given the public and we’ll be able to house that police station with police officers. We already got a new vehicle that should be deployed to the area by Monday for the officers to be able to carry out their responsibilities. In the meantime, we have GI3 in the area, they are doing the gang investigations. You now that the gang investigations are not an overnight investigation. These are investigations that take at least three to six months to be able to gather all the information to convince a court beyond a reasonable doubt that these people are gang members.”
Will Daily Operations Prevent Gang Violence in Santa Elena?
In the case of Anthony Smith, who was shot and killed on Sunday night while purchasing food at a nearby fast-food restaurant, the ComPol says that law enforcement operations are being carried out every day and detentions are being made.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“The police officers from S.P.U. and the San Ignacio operation teams are conducting daily operations. We are detaining them for forty-eight hours and after forty-eight hours we have to let them go. We cannot keep them beyond forty-eight hours. So, they are going to look for that opportunity again to do what they need to do, but we have to make sure that we do our part also to prevent them from doing so. So the police are doing as much as we can and we continue to do so until we can get that police station in place in Santa Elena and staff it with police officers, giving them resources to be able to patrol that area and even when that is done, we are still going to make sure that we continue to look at the past investigations, in terms of the murders, we look at the gang investigations, all, again a view to make sure that we can interdict those persons who are involved in this back and forth shooting in Santa Elena/San Ignacio.”
Reporter
“Is the Anthony Smith one especially painful for you all because you knew he would be a target, you know it’s ongoing escalating retaliation and bam, it happened. And is the shooter Minor, suspected shooter?”
Chester Williams
“Anthony Smith was one of the persons who was suspected to have been involved in the murder of David Galindo. We knew, yes, that he was a target, but we cannot and we will not be security guard for no criminal.”
Shootings of ComPol’s House and Police Station are Brazen Acts
The recent attacks on the police station in Roaring Creek followed by the shots fired at the commissioner’s house is something that some would say is an indictment on the performance of the Police Department. It can also be seen as blatant disrespect for the Commissioner of Police and his officers. But the Minister of Home Affairs, Kareem Musa said today that the incidents are signs of the brazenness of criminals today.
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
“What it speaks to is the brazenness within which these young men are now operating. And so, there is actually no indictment on the police department, when in fact, the police department acted swiftly in detaining those responsible, for that very heinous crime. And so, it just speaks to a level of brazenness that we are now seeing in the young men. And again, I want to congratulate the police officers who acted very swiftly in detaining not just the young man, but there are other suspects as well being detained as we speak.”
Paul Arthurs is Fatally Stabbed; Was Murder or Self-defense?
Three murders were recorded over the weekend following separate shooting incidents in Orange Walk and Cayo districts. In Blackman Eddy Village on Saturday night, a man was stabbed to death by the siblings of his former common-law wife. She tells police that her ex-husband attempted to rape her at her birthday party and her brothers intervened and reportedly stabbed Paul Arthurs with his own knife. Arthurs’ family shares a different account of the couple’s tumultuous relationship. Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano with that story.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
A resident of Ontario Village was fatally stabbed by his common-law wife’s siblings on Saturday night in Blackman Eddy Village. Paul Arthurs was at a gathering in the neighboring community where Trisha Ireland was celebrating her birthday with friends and family. Something went terribly wrong and he was attacked by several individuals.
ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division
“Police visited Blackman Eddy Village where a complainant reported that she went to use a bathroom that is situated outside of her house. She then reported that her ex-boyfriend, Paul Arthurs, dragged her into some bushes and attempted to rape her. Her brother who was at the area at the time intervened in her defense, at which point Paul Arthurs produced a knife. A fight ensued and then Paul Arthurs received injuries. Other villagers came and assisted as well. Paul Arthurs was taken to the hospital with stab wound injuries and there after succumbed to his injuries.”
That’s the official account given by the Belize Police Department, based on their investigation into what transpired on Saturday night. Arthurs’ family provided a different narrative of what they understand took place.
Voice of: Relative of Deceased
“He was up at Blackman all day. He was socializing with some friends, to our understanding. He and the female in question, actually in custody at this time for investigation, they were together. They did have their ups and downs. It was her birthday on that day, as well, to our understanding, she was having a small gathering at her house and she saw him up in Blackman and she came by and invited him to the home. In the night, around 9:30, we received information that he got chopped.”
Arthurs’ niece, who spoke with us under the condition of anonymity, said that they were on their way to the hospital when they learned of his demise. We were also told that the relationship was oftentimes unstable.
“We were on our way to the hospital when we got news that he succumbed to his injuries.”
Isani Cayetano
“What do you believe went wrong that would have resulted in this fatal stabbing?”
Voice of: Relative of Deceased
“To our understanding, the female that he was with, the family has never stepped into their relationship or told him what to do, for lack of a better term, however, he and the female have had their little back and forth because she has times when she doesn’t want him around.”
Hilberto Romero
“An investigation has been carried out and this file will be sent to the D.P.P. for directives.
Voice of: Relative of Deceased
“As a family, we wish they would have contacted the police and asked [to] remove this man from this home because, he, another report says that she was his ex. They were in a back and forth ongoing relationship and he couldn’t have had access to this female if she didn’t invite him to the home and also he could not have gotten access to take her anywhere that her brothers or the people at the home would not have seen. So she had enough people there to protect her where that couldn’t have happened, in our opinion.”
Isani Cayetano for News Five.
Murder in Santa Elena, Anthony Smith is Gunned Down
In Santa Elena Town, a feud between two groups has led to the shooting death of a man who went to purchase food with his cousins on Sunday night. When Anthony Smith set out along with his cousins from their Avella Street address, his family did not think that he wouldn’t be returning home alive. While at a fast food restaurant, a lone gunman appeared on a motorcycle, opened fire on Smith, and made good his escape from the area. Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano, once again, with that report.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
Anthony Smith is the latest murder victim in Santa Elena, following a deadly shooting overnight in that municipality. Despite concerns from residents and business owners, crime remains a pressing issue. The deadly attack on Smith has the trappings of a bitter rivalry. He was purchasing fast food, along with several relatives, when a gunman emerged on the scene.
Voice of: Aunt of Deceased
“Dehn gaan da Chinatown gaan buy wahn fry chicken and while dehn mi di wait fi dis fry chicken, dehn seh di bwai just come straight and shoot ahn right da ih chest. Dehn shoot ahn, he drop, [and] when he drop, di bwai come over ahn gih ahn di nother shot. And they were so frightened, di other bwai dehn, that dehn neva know weh fi do. When deh ketch up da when dehn si di blood, right. When dehn conscious, dehn seh di bwai mi done deh pan ih cycle and dehn seh dehn couldn’t do nothing because ih mek two shot afta di other bwai.”
The incident happened on a side street just off the George Price Highway. Mei Mei, as the restaurant is known, has a security camera perched at the corner of the building. It is not clear whether the device captured anything useful relating to the attack.
ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division
“On Sunday, June 30th, 2024, police responded to a shooting incident in front of a restaurant in Cayo District. Upon their arrival, they learned that one Anthony Smith, thirty years old, had been shot and was taken for treatment. Police visited the hospital thereafter and we learned that Anthony Smith had succumbed to his injuries. Investigation revealed that Smith was sitting in front of the restaurant when a motorcycle came and a male person came off the motorcycle and fired several shots towards his direction, causing his fatal injuries. We have several persons detained in regards to this murder.”
Smith’s aunt believes that he may have been executed by someone who is known to the family; however, there is no certainty since the gunman’s face was concealed by a helmet he was reportedly wearing.
“Dehn cyant point finger because the person mi got di think pan ih face, right. But dehn seh dehn cyant point finga da who but dehn suggest that more or less ih could be one ah dehn enemy.”
Isani Cayetano
“Now, do you know Anthony for having enemies, or what was he involved with here?”
“Well, we mi know that ih had one enemy but we cyant call name because we noh know. As ah tell yoh, we cyant point finger. Soh you know we cyant seh exactly well da dat person do it because all dehn know is that the person da wahn Spanish person and di person mi got on ih helmet so like dehn couldn’t sih ih face. Soh you know yoh can’t point finger. Yoh cyant call name cause yoh noh know da who, right.”
An investigation into the murder is ongoing. Isani Cayetano for News Five.
Threvane Thomas Arraigned for Shooting Up ComPol’s Residence
We begin tonight’s newscast with the arraignment of a young man who is accused of opening fire on the home of Commissioner of Police Chester Williams earlier this week. The incident happened on Tuesday night while the ComPol was out of the country. At home was his twenty-two-year-old son who contacted him by text message informing him that someone was shooting at the residence. Tonight, twenty-one-year-old Threvane Thomas is on remand at the Belize Central Prison. The resident of Camalote Village appeared in the Magistrate’s Court in Belmopan this morning. He is facing a raft of charges, including aggravated assault and possession of a prohibited firearm, which was a forty-five-calibre pistol. Police were quick in apprehending Thomas after surveillance cameras at the residence captured him.
State of Emergency in Effect for Ninety Days
The alleged gang members who were swept up at the beginning of the state of emergency, in parts of Belize City and Cayo District, will spend the next three months behind bars at the Belize Central Prison. Earlier today, during the sitting of the House of Representatives, Home Affairs Minister Kareem Musa read the proclamation declaring the S.O.E. and how long it will remain in effect.
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
“Now be it resolved that this honorable house extends the proclamation declaring a state of emergency in certain parts of Belize City and certain parts of the Cayo District made by the Governor General on June 24th, 2024 for a period of two months. This motion, Madam Speaker, has the recommendation of the Cabinet. And by way of explanation, Madam Speaker, we have arrived at a point where decisions, swift and certain, must be made to ensure that our Belize remains on track to be the best country in which to grow up and raise a family. We cannot do that in a country where a few feel that they have the power and impetus to wreak havoc on our streets, planting seeds of fear in the minds and hearts of hardworking and law abiding citizens of our country. Belize is certainly not a state where lawlessness, more especially that which leads to the senseless loss of life reigns supreme. We are even more certain that we will not allow any corner of our country to fall into a state of normalized lawlessness. Opening fire on a mother and child exiting their vehicle, or the elderly men riding on bicycles is not normal. Blazing bullets in the dead of night at a police station is not normal, and most certainly, shooting a barrage of bullets into the home of a senior public servant, the Commissioner of Police, no less, is not the Belizean way. These wayward activities will not be countenanced will not be tolerated and will not be condoned.”
ComPol’s House Comes Under Gunfire While Away on Police Business
Someone assaulted the home of Commissioner of Police Chester Williams on Tuesday night in what appears to be a copycat crime. Sometime after nine p.m., an individual rode up to the ComPol’s residence in Belmopan, stood on the roadside and opened fire on the concrete two-storey building, before riding off on a motorcycle. Inside the residence at the time of the shooting was Williams’ twenty-two-year-old son. Following a series of S.O.E. operations in Belize City yesterday, the commissioner boarded a flight to the United States and was en route to New York City when he received a disturbing text message from his son. The top cop was informed that his home was being fired upon, just a few days after the police station in nearby Roaring Creek was sprayed with a shower of bullets. Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano with our first story.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“If they think that I am going to be perturbed or intimidated by their action then they have the wrong man. So they can come and shoot a million times, that will not distract me from doing what I need to do. But what I can say to them is that they will be pursued no matter where they go. They will be caught and they will be dealt with.”
Commissioner of Police Chester Williams was on the ground on Tuesday morning, where a state of emergency came into effect in the Lake Independence area, as well as other parts of Belize City. During our interview with him, we learned that he was traveling to the United States later that day on official business as Belize’s chief law enforcement officer. Little did he know that, like the incident which happened in Roaring Creek a few days earlier, his residence would also come under gunfire.
“Well the person went by on motorcycle and he passed in front of the house and he stopped a distance away and fired the shots from there. So again, it goes to show that he’s a coward. I am sure that whoever, that this individual knew I was not at home because they might have heard on the news that I was leaving the country yesterday, following the operations for the SOE and so they took the opportunity, knowing that I was not at home, to have done this. Just about an hour before landing in New York, I got a call from my son who was at home, but the data that you purchase on the plane does not allow you for voice calls., you can only text. So I could not have answered his call. So I messaged him and said to him, “I am in flight. Kindly text.”
The message he received from his son, who was home alone at the time, required immediate action.
“He text me quickly and said that shots were being fired at the house. I right away forwarded the message to the Belmopan Police Station and asked them to have the police respond immediately and I directed my son not to come out, to stay inside the house secured until the police would arrive there. I must say that the police got there very quickly and they dealt with the situation. They examined the house and reviewed the surveillance camera system that I have at home and they were able to obtain some very useful information.”
Surveillance footage from the scene of the shooting led to the subsequent arrest of this individual, twenty-one-year-old Threvane Thomas, a resident of Camalote Village. Not only was he found with a weapon, steps have also been taken to proceed with a ballistics analysis.
Chester Williams
“They were able to apprehend a suspect, along with the firearm which we believe to have been used in the incident. The firearm is a forty-five caliber pistol that has been packaged and been sent to the National Forensic Science Services ballistics section for examination to be compared with the shells that were found at the scene. So I must say that the police did act very swiftly in making sure that they were able to investigate and find who is responsible.”
ComPol Williams has taken grave offense to the assault on the Roaring Creek Police Station, describing the precinct as a location that is like. an officer’s residence. Less than thirteen hours later, his home would come under attack. Why?
“His mother happened to be a cook at the training academy. So, she and I have never had any encounter per se. I don’t even know who she is. But that’s as far as I know about him. I know that he has been in trouble with the law before, charged with different offenses and we are looking at him very closely to see who are his close associates. We have a person of interest that we are looking at likewise. It is something that I take very seriously and we will act decisively in making sure that the perpetrators of this and other incidents are brought to justice.”
Chester Williams
“My son is okay. He is like his father, very brave and very courageous young man, he was raised well and he remains at home. Yes, I have put certain security measures in place to ensure his safety until I return back to Belize this coming weekend.”
Isani Cayetano for News Five.