As noted in the story, the mass murder and the subsequent shots being fired in the air by the B-SAG unit, caused a flood of panic across the city. Dozens of crazy stories went out: first saying that police officers had been shot, then that there was a riot, then word that there was a riot at the KHMH. All of those stories were false, but the cumulative effect of all was to create a sense of imminent siege and widespread terror in the city. It was all unnecessary because nothing happened after the bodies were found - but with rumors flying at the speed of text and multiplying at a Facebook factor of 10 - no one was taking any chances.
But there was legitimate reason for panic, because the George Street area is certain the mass murder was carried out by the GSU - and we have seen gang retaliations against the state recently: so the fear was that innocent people would be targeted this time.
Enter the area representative for the Mesopotamia division, Michael Finnegan. The base for the George Street Gang is in his division and he reached out to leaders to arrange a meeting with the Prime Minister in Belmopan.
That meeting was held this afternoon - and the Prime Minister reported on it at a press conference this afternoon at the Biltmore. Here's what he said:..
Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"The leaders of the so called George Street gang in an effort to make absolutely certain that the retaliation that people feared this morning that did not occur may not in fact occur over the next few hours; over the next few days; over the next few weeks. Ladies and gentlemen as a consequence of that meeting which took place in my office and which we set up through the facilitation of the Minister of Housing there is good news and bad news; the bad news is that the people from George Street are absolutely convinced that these were state sponsored murders that not to put too fine point on it that it was the GSU that killed the 4 persons in that apartment building. That's bad news because of course their conviction is utterly unfounded and it constitutes a very serious allegation in deed against the integrity of the GSU; against the integrity of the police department; against the integrity of the security forces and against the integrity of the government. We have tried to make clear to the leaders that their conviction has no basis in reality. The good news is because George Street is absolutely satisfied that this was not some kind of an attack from a rival gang - there is no question of the murders provoking any inter-gang warfare between George and any group that might otherwise have been suspected as being responsible for the killings. But of course it left us with the question of whether George Street would think the then retaliation is due against the state by way of launching the feared attacks against innocent civilians. I say to you that we are reasonably confident that that's not going to happen. We are absolutely confident that the situation is under control. Let me reiterate that we are absolutely certain that all conditions are in place for life to return to normal in Belize City and in particular on the Southside of Belize City."
"There should no basis on which closures of schools; closures of businesses; closures of public premises ought to be continued tomorrow. We reasoned with the individuals - with the leaders. We made clear that it would be absolutely unthinkable for there to be any attempt at retaliation against innocent citizens. I will say that right from the start of those discussions they freely volunteered their commitment that absolutely nothing like that would happen. Now I say to residents of the city; I say to citizens of this nation that notwithstanding that particular development as you have heard the security forces are putting in place all that is necessary to make assurance to the public. The key leaders of George Street have left the city under an arrangement with the security forces and their location is one in which we expect them to continue to be over the next few days."
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