7 News Belize

Teenager Critical After Accidental City Shooting
posted (August 21, 2015)
And another teenager is fighting for his life after being shot in the city last night.

16 year-old Mark Phillips, a youth who was recently released from prison, is under police guard at the KHMH after one of his own crew shot him by accident with a .38 revolver. According to police, it happened when he and 2 other males, were lying in wait for a man in compound of the Queen Square Anglican Primary School.

Police intelligence is that Phillips and another man were armed, and as soon as the would-be victim came close enough they ambushed him. But, when Phillips' friend made an attempt to shoot the young man, the gun jammed. That's when Phillips was critically injured.

The commander of the Eastern Division South filled in the blanks for us:

Sr. Supt Chester Williams, OC - E.D. Southside
"There was an incident last night. Inside the compound of Queen Square Anglican School where one Mark Phillips, a 16 year old was shot in the abdomen area. He was subsequently rushed to the Karl Huesner Memorial Hospital, where he is currently admitted in a critical, but stable condition. The shooting itself is a situation where apparently this victim in the company of two other friends or colleagues of his were in the compound of the Anglican School awaiting somebody. They subsequently came in contact with the person who they were awaiting and both of them were armed, one with a 38 apparantly and one with a 9mm pistol. Apparently the one with the 38 tried to shoot this person that they were awaiting for and the gun snapped. When the gun snapped, he was playing with the gun apparantly to try to get it to work and in that process, he shot his own colleague. So then it was a situation where three friends from a certain area on Belize City were trying to cause harm to another person and they end up injuring themselves."

Daniel Ortiz
"This young man who they were waiting for. Were they lay-waying him?"

Sr. Supt Chester Williams, OC - E.D. Southside
"Yes, there were and this is not a person who is a trouble maker and the persons involved Mark Phillips, is a person who is well-known to the police. He has been charges several times by the police before and he is a sixteen year old and it goes to what I have been saying before, that parents need to learn to take control of their children. These children at this age should not be on the streets especially armed with a gun."

Reporter
"Is the affiliated with any gang?"

Sr. Supt Chester Williams, OC - E.D. Southside
"Yes he is affiliated with the George Street gang."

Reporter
"Were any of the firearms recovered?"

Sr. Supt Chester Williams, OC - E.D. Southside
"No the firearms were not recovered. After the one who got shot was shot, the three of them scaled out of the school, jumped the fence and someone who was around took the one who was shot to the hospital."

Repoter
"You were able to determine why the person shoot the other person?"

Sr. Supt Chester Williams, OC - E.D. Southside
"Apparently, there was a situation with the relative of this other person. I guess because they couldn't catch Harry, they wanted to catch his shirt. And that is the situation. This person is not a trouble maker and they say God works in mysterious ways and I think this is one of Gods work that you know what, this man did you no wrong."

Daniel Ortiz
"Will the victim be charged with any offence and will the person who shot him be charged with any offence?"

Sr. Supt Chester Williams, OC - E.D. Southside
"Well I will tell you that the victim although in the hospital, he is a prisoner. He will be charged along with the others with aggravated assault upon this person who they are going to try and shoot as soon as he is release from the hospital."

Daniel Ortiz
"And the person whose gun jammed and end up shooting the victim, will be charged?"

Sr. Supt Chester Williams, OC - E.D. Southside
"He will be charged with aggravated assault well against the same person who they went after last night. But in relation to the shooting of his friend, that will have to be of the friend makes a complaint, which I am certain will not happen. But we will still look at the possibility of charging him for discharging in public."

We've been informed that the bullet damaged his internal organs - including his liver, and doctors have been trying to stabilize him.

As you heard in the interview, the shooter is in police custody at this time.

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