7 News Belize

Police Release Photographs Of Kendale Flowers with M4 Carbine
posted (July 10, 2012)
Last night, the security forces thought they would be patting themselves on the back for a job well done - after they killed three machine gun wielding outlaws on northern Ambergris Caye in a firefight on Saturday.

But, emotion is a heck of thing - and when the enraged family of Kendale Flowers accused police of executing the 18 year old - it may have introduced some doubt into the public mind about what really happened on north Ambergris.

And so today, in an effort to tip public opinion back in their favour, the police and Coast Guard pulled a card they didn't want to have to pull - but one that they probably should have pulled in the first place.

They released photos which show two of the dead men - striking outlaw poses with assault rifles some time before they were killed. The press conference was held at the Coast Guard headquarters this afternoon and 7news was there. Here's our report:..

Captain John Borland, Commandant, Coast Guard
"I have decided that what the military or security forces have reported might not necessarily be the truth and that is one of the things we are trying to establish here to show you that there is evidence that these people were really involve in illicit activity."

Jules Vasquez reporting
And that evidence is explosive: This is 18 year old Kendale Flowers one month before he was killed - brandishing an M-4 carbine assault rifle and a 9 millimeter pistol.

David Henderson - Commissioner of Police
"You see Kendale Flowers - this was obtained a month ago prior to this incident. The firearm is similar; if you look at the other rifle it is similar. In fact that individual - we know who he is and we know how to get him and he will be picked up."

And this is another man who was killed in the firefight on Northern Ambergris Caye; he is 22 year old Alexander Mazariegos from Salvapan - he was captured in the same suite of photos

David Henderson - Commissioner of Police
"This individual - he is an individual who we know is from Belmopan area, from the Salvapan area. In fact these pictures was obtained about a month ago and if you make keen observation on the firearms, you will see the 9mm is identically similar to the one that had obtained during that incident on Saturday. If you look at the M-4 carbine it is identically the same. These pictures were obtained one month prior to this incident. So in no way, shape or form the security forces had to really plant or cause any injury to anybody. The third one - we know who he is but I will not go into it."

Jules Vasquez
"Is he from the same geographical area?"

David Henderson - Commissioner of Police
"I will not get into it. I know who he is but I will not get into it."

Jules Vasquez
"Is he a Belizean?"

David Henderson - Commissioner of Police
"I will not get into it because it is an ongoing investigation. This operation was planned, we know what we were looking at, we know the area, we know the individual, there is no need for anybody to do anything illegal from the security forces."

Jules Vasquez
"Sir, now this Alexander Mazariegos and another name Ali Garcia......."

David Henderson - Commissioner of Police
"I don't know what you are trying to get at?"

Jules Vasquez
"Just tell us who is Ali Garcia."

David Henderson - Commissioner of Police
"I will not get into any specifics."

Jules Vasquez
"But Fitzroy just send this sir. I am not making this up."

David Henderson - Commissioner of Police
"That is you and Fitzroy business. I know what we are doing."

Jules Vasquez
"It is on the police press release."

David Henderson - Commissioner of Police
"Jules, you must be aware that I am an old investigator, I've done intelligence work for a number of years, so I will not put my cards on the table."

But the cards they have put on the table were sensational - and it's all because law enforcement felt bruised by the comments made last night in the news by the Kendal Flowers family:

Captain John Borland
"We want to make plain that the Ministry of National Security or the Government of Belize in any way, shape or form endorses, encourages or support state sponsored killings or assassinations and if that is the feeling that some people are trying to instill, then that is negative and we expect that the media will be responsible enough based on what we've done here today to refute that type of information going around."

Reporter
"You will recognize that without those interviews from the parents we would not be here today with you guys - sharing this information after you had a press conference. You had a previous press conference and didn't release this information and the less information you release the media also has to do its job."

Captain John Borland
"We understand."

So how did Kendale Flowers end up with a fatal headshot?:

Captain John Borland
"In a firefight bullets are going down in all directions - we are taking fire and receiving fire. People aren't stood static in firing shots - you are firing from all positions maneuvering trying to protect yourself in the same time trying to neutralize the enemy. Where he got shot - we don't decide that. We try our best to aim shots as we were taught at the bottom center on the white target but a head shot is not unusual."

Today, the Coast guard pointed out exactly where the firefight happened. It's here, one mile north of Rocky Point - which is four miles south of Boca Bacalar Chico which is the Belize Mexico border.

That's where the four men had set up a makeshift camp constructed of vegetation. Here you can see a bulletproof vest - with a catch of 382 grammes of marijuana.

This is the m4 carbine beside one of the deceased - who was in full camouflage.

David Henderson - Commissioner of Police
"This is no new area; in fact I used to head the drugs unit. This area we have made major seizures from this area. We had a number of wet drops in this area, so it is a pretty active area and we are very much familiar of the area."

Jules Vasquez
"Were there drugs on land? Were they expecting a confrontation? Were they doing target practice? Were they out on a hunting picnic?"

David Henderson - Commissioner of Police
"I will not speculate but it is known that that area is used for illegal activity."

Jules Vasquez
"Sir, have you all figured out how these people ended up with those BDF weapons and if that is a source to find more of the weapons?"

David Henderson - Commissioner of Police
"We will not get into that, it is an investigation that is ongoing and we do not need to get into the details of our investigations."

Police did not want to discuss how Kendale Flowers, who is associated with the SSG Gang from the Yabra Area linked up with Maza-riegos - who is from Salvapan.

And now all three deceased have been identified; they are Flowers, Maza-riegos, and the third man is Alley Ismael Garcia a 23 year old from Belmopan.

Both Maza-riegos and Garcia were identified by their sisters this morning.

According to police, they have several charges of Robbery pending at the Belmopan Magistrate Court. Two other persons seen in the photographs as well as others are being sought.

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