ComPol Williams says Joseph Garcia Was Innocent

A deadly shooting in Belize City led to a tragic crash at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH), according to Police Commissioner Chester Williams.

Reports indicate that the driver, Joseph Garcia, who had been shot, lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the KHMH’s front entrance while trying to get medical help. The crash caused major damage to the hospital and injured an on-duty security guard.

The driver and passengers were rushed to the emergency ward, but one person did not survive.

Commissioner Williams explained that the victims—Ronlee Petillo, Garcia, and Shamar Faber—were ambushed near the Haulover Bridge as they entered Belize City. Their vehicle was being followed by two others, one of which overtook them and opened fire.

Garcia died from his injuries, while one of the passengers is in critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit. Petillo was grazed by a bullet on the back of his head and was shot in the hand, but he is stable and in good spirits.

Williams told reporters that Garcia was an innocent victim from Dangriga.