Email

Print

Here's what we found out when we went to the Island this afternoon:..

Jules Vasquez reporting
25 year old Tyson Rodriguez was in this house. In this very poor area on the western side of Caye Caulker. Residents call it "Black Neighborhood."

Shanda Rodriguez, Sister of Victim
"They were smoking weed (marijuana) when the police came. The police broke open the door and he saw when the officer pulled out a gun. He got scared and ran away."

Paul Rubio, Area Resident, "Black Neighborhood"
"When the officer went upstairs and searched Tyson he jumps downstairs. I don't know if it's because he saw the gun and got scared that he decided to run. He was unarmed; he doesn't have a gun. He was just running."

Anita Garcia, Friend of Victim
"The police came through the hole here. I went home to see if my son was okay when I saw the police officer running upstairs. The boy jumped downstairs and ran, and after that I heard two gunshots."

Police chased him from this house - about half a mile to this beachfront area at the Eastern side of the island where they shot him.

Shirley Young was in the area and heard those same gunshots - she asked to appear off camera:

Shirley Young, in area at time of shooting.

Shirley Young
"There was a young man peddling along on a bicycle really fast. I knew he was being chased. When I turned around, there was a police officer on a bicycle coming after him. The boy dropped the bike, dropped his hat, and he started running south along the beach."

"The police was behind him. The police officer went after him. There was a shot fired probably in front of Tom's Hotel on the beach side. The officer went around the corner and another came on a motor scooter, and he followed the two."

"I heard a second shot around the corner."

His friend Anita Garcia came to see police hauling him to the clinic:

Anita Garcia, Friend of Victim
"I went to assist the man because he is my children's family. We are the ones that have him out here because we sent for him. Tyson is not a bad person. Tyson is home to the shop, and shop to his home. Many people on the island know Tyson. I was at the hospital attending to him until they prepared him to go to Belize City Hospital."

"I felt bad because we are the ones who have him out here."

Jules Vasquez
"How was his condition?"

Anita Garcia, Friend of Victim
"He was in bad pain because he was shot in his back."

He was taken to Belize City where his sister Shanda Rodriguez received him.

Shanda Rodriguez, sister
"I think he got shot in his back, and it exited through his belly."

Marion Ali, reporter
"Have you spoken with the doctors? What is his prognosis?"

Shanda Rodriguez, sister
"Right now he is undergoing surgery, and he is stable. He ran from the police. He had surrendered, he doesn't want to have anything to do with them, and so they shouldn't have shot him like that. But such is it."

"I wish the police would have done a better job than that."

And that's the wider issue - residents in the area say they are systematically harassed.

Paul Rubio, Area Resident, "Black Neighborhood"
"When they came to my yard this morning that's what got me outraged and pissed off."

Paul Rubio has been living here for 14 years and made his home here. He says this morning heavily armed police came searching in his house as well.

Paul Rubio, Area Resident, "Black Neighborhood"
"The officer didn't even respect my side. He just came and opened my gate and walked in my yard like that."

"They came in my place with their big guns; that is why I am pissed off today. They told me not to put myself in this because I don't know what will happen."

And the residents of this black neighborhood say there is a racial dimension to the harassment:

Anita Garcia, Friend of Victim
"The officer Choc is a very racist officer. Everyone is talking about PC Choc out here, and we would really appreciate if they would get Choc off this island."

"I myself have problems with PC Choc. He watched me the other day and said that he would really want to kill someone that is black. I want to know if we are birds for him to say something like that."

Jules Vasquez
"You heard that?"

Anita Garcia, Friend of Victim
"He said that from his mouth. He said that he really would want to kill someone that is black. That is what Choc said from his mouth when he came here."

The other side of that is that business-owners on the island - most of whom are not black say that many of the residents of this neighborhood come to prey on legitimate businesses.

Jules Vasquez
"Now, you have some people out there that say that a lot of the people that are through the hole, don't come here with any jobs, they come here to steal."

Anita Garcia, Friend of Victim
"I know what you are saying, and I understand that, but then this boy that came here wanted a job - he is looking for a job - but right now jobs out here are full."

"And I am trying to help him also, so what I do is try to help him until he can get a job."

Jules Vasquez
"Would he be in desperation that he would engage in criminal activity?"

Anita Garcia, Friend of Victim
"No way."

Marion Ali, reporter
"Is this the first time that your brother has an encounter with the police?"

Shanda Rodriguez, sister
"No, this is not the first time but this is the worst time he ever got an encounter with the police like this that it ends up in a situation where it could have been more dangerous. It could have been his life."

Police on the island would not comment, but the Department did issue a release saying that when they searched Rodriguez's residence in Caye Caulker, they found two small parcels of suspected marijuana. They say Rodriguez ran when he was informed of the find.

Police say he ran and was caught by an officer. They say a struggle then ensued where Rodriquez pulled a knife which resulted in the officer pulling out his 9 mm service revolver and shooting him once in the abdomen area.

Police say he is in a critical but stable condition. The release says that police have retrieved Rodriquez's knife.