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And just last week Commander of eastern Division Southside Chester Williams was doing house to house visits in the same general area where today's shooting took place. At the time he expressed confidence in de-escalating the gang warfare in an area, which had witnessed chronic gun violence for over a year.

Sr. Supt Chester Williams, OC - E.D. Southside

"I can tell you clearly that yes, I have a full appreciation for what is taking place on south side Belize city. particularly in Jane Usher and Freedom Street, Gill Street and Caesar Ridge Road.And it is based on those credible information I have obtained - why I'm doing what I'm doing to see how best I can use my influence to help these young people try to make a positive difference in their lives."

Jules Vasquez

"Will you speaking directly with the combatants in the gang war?"

Sr. Supt Chester Williams, OC - E.D. Southside

"Yes, I am making arrangement to speak with them. And I can tell you Jules that the people are coming along."

And then…today's shooting happened. Williams wasn't available to discuss what went wrong but we did see this very provocative post on his facebook page this morning. It says, quote "we are spending so much extra effort working with young people…to stop the violence and the same effort we are putting in trying to help them, some people are putting in to aggravate these people…" And those "some people" he refers to aren't civilians, he's talking about police. He laments, quote, "what is so hard for some to understand that we can do our jobs without abusing people? What is hard for them to understand that in carrying out our duties we must respect people regardless what we think of them? What is hard to understand that policing is done with common sense and not with brutal force?" End quote.

He concludes, quote, "I am trying to change the attitude of the police but I can only change the attitude of those who work directly under my command…but others are trying to erode the efforts we are doing."

We don't know who it's directed at – clearly some unit outside of the control of the southside formation – but we do know that the post was taken down by mid morning.