Shooting Victims Crash into KHMH Building

On Sunday morning, three men were shot at while driving a pickup truck on the Phillip Goldson Highway. The driver, Joseph Garcia, was hit but managed to speed towards Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, which was nearby. Sadly, he died, and the vehicle crashed into the hospital’s exterior wall. The other two passengers, Ronlee Petillo and Shamar Faber, are still in the hospital. News Five’s Paul Lopez has more on this story.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

One man is dead, and another is in critical condition at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital after a shooting on the Phillip Goldson Highway in Belize City. On Sunday morning, Joseph Garcia, Ronlee Petillo, and Shamar Faber were in an SUV when a gunman opened fire on them. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams mentioned that the men were being followed by passengers in a white car.

 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Ronlee Petillo and his group were coming from the area of Haulover Bridge into Belize City when they were followed by a white vehicle and a silver Forerunner and upon reaching the area of the flour mill the white vehicle overtook them and the occupants from that white car fired multiple shots at the vehicle Petillo and his group were in fatally injuring one person.”

 

Garcia was driving when they were attacked. He sped down the highway towards Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital but lost consciousness and crashed into the hospital’s cafeteria. This shocking incident left employees stunned, as described by Chief Executive Officer Chandra Cansino.

 

Chandra Cansino, C.E.O., KHMHA

“They came straight to the hospital and because of the seriousness of the injuries the driver was unable to make it to the emergency unit. They drove straight into the building. Where you saw the truck is an actually the cafeteria. And so, thankfully there are no patients there, but we do have our staff there. So we were concerned both for them and the integrity of the building. So, we got someone to look at that. The integrity of the building was fine, we do have some major damages to the wall. So we closed down the cafeteria yesterday and gave the staff support.”

 

Garcia succumbed to the injuries he sustained. According to police, Petillo is in a stable condition, while Faber remains in a critical condition.

 

Chester Williams

“Mr. Petillo is admitted in a stable condition and contrary to what some media houses reported that he got shot in the neck and is critical, that is not true. He got a graze to the back of head and a shot in the hand and he is in good spirit and stable. The other person is in a critical condition and is in the ICU. We are hoping he will be able to pull through. So far we have been on the ground trying to view as much surveillance footage as we can. But since it was a holiday we were not able to get as much as we want to. Together the investigators were busy to put together the pieces to come to a determination as to who are responsible for that particular incident.”

 

This is not the first attempt on Petillo’s life. He has also had multiple run ins with the law. ComPol Williams says Garcia was an innocent passenger in the vehicle

 

Chester Williams

“The young man who died is certainly innocent. He is from Dangriga. He came up and took Petillo to the Max Borough area and because he was with Petillo he became a victim of those circumstances.”

 

Commissioner Williams praised the quick actions of the medical team at KHMH. He mentioned that the people in the vehicle made a smart move by racing to the hospital, as their attackers might have killed all three of them. In response to rising gang violence in the Old Capital, the hospital has increased its security measures.

 

Chandra Cansino

“We have a very prepared Accident and Emergency Unit which is not where the vehicle came unfortunately. But, even yesterday when the accident happened, personnel were here and took the victims straight to the emergency. We do have ramped up surveillance. We are working closely with the police. They actually have some police officers here as well. Our concern is for the safety of the patients and staff as a priority. We have ramped up our surveillance and security and working along with the police in that regard.”

 

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez