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.”