Video Shows Emil Rivers Being Shot by Police in the Stomach  

Twenty-four-year-old Emil Rivers is still in the hospital with injuries to his abdomen and back after being shot by a police officer during an armed standoff last weekend. The incident took place on January twenty-fifth in Independence Village, southern Belize. Rivers allegedly assaulted Inspector of Police Michael Rosado, who noticed him appearing intoxicated and carrying a large knife. After a scuffle, Rivers was taken to the Independence Police Station but managed to escape custody. Officers pursued him, and when they caught up, Rivers was wielding a machete. During the confrontation, Officer Sheldon Arzu shot Rivers twice. PC Arzu, who was previously discharged from the Belize Police Department after a deadly shooting in 2003 and served thirteen years in prison, was later reinstated. Tonight, we’ll show you the encounter that led to Rivers’ injuries, along with comments from Home Affairs Minister Kareem Musa and  Commissioner of Police Chester Williams.

 

Isani Cayetano

“ComPol, what’s to happen of the investigation into Sheldon Arzu at this point and what seems to be new information that suggests that he may have been in the wrong, as well as the release of the video that you guys have?

 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“I will not say if he is in the wrong at this time.  I have viewed the video, I have my opinion of it and PSB currently has control of the matter.  I do not want to say or do anything to influence the investigation that’s going to be done or is being done by PSB.  The video will be released to you, the media, for public consumption and the public can also be the judge of what transpired.  Let me say that the young man in the video had assaulted Inspector Rosado who is the officer in charge of Bella Vista with a huge butcher’s knife, almost killing him.  He was arrested, he was detained by the police and he escaped from the police station.  He was pursued to that location where the shooting happened, by the police.  It was a lengthy standoff while he wielded a machete at the police.  Police fired, I think, two warning shots or three warning shots and he did not surrender or put down the machete end eventually it led to him being shot in the stomach.”

 

Isani Cayetano

“How does ACP Romero go from stating publicly that the man was shot in the leg to him being in a hospital bed with a gunshot wound to his abdomen?”

 

Chester Williams

“The gunshot wound to the back is the exit.  The video will show you everything.  It will show when he was shot, what angle and everything.  It’s going to show you that.  Perhaps Mr. Romero was misinformed because from the inception when it happened, I know it was in the stomach.”

 

Reporter

“But sir, why does the police report have a knowing misrepresentation?  It says that PC Arzu, this is an internal report, shot him, shot him in the legs, or shot after him in the legs twice.  I’m saying that there is purposeful misrepresentation of the facts, perpetuated then by Mr. Romero.  It’s a worrying trend that brings the entire story into doubt.

 

Chester Williams

“I believe that Mr. Romero was misinformed.  I did not speak to Mr. Romero before he had that press brief with you all.  I don’t know what information he got.”