7 News Belize

Woman Constable Shot In Head By Robbers
posted (March 1, 2016)
Last night four shots rang out in the heart of downtown Belize City - in front of Scotiabank, not far from Brodies. It happened at 10 minutes to eight when police rolled up on 2 men who were in the act of robbing a security guard. What happened next was a shocker: instead of fleeing, the armed robber opened fire on police at close range - hitting a female officer in the head. It happened just down the street from our studio and 7News was first on the scene - same time as police who swarmed the area. Jules Vasquez has the story:...

Jules Vasquez reporting
Last night at 7:50, three police constables, a male and two females were inside this police mobile was on patrol on Albert Street when the three officers inside pulled up on a robbery in progress outside Scotiabank. A gunman had accosted a man making a night deposit - and was trying to rob him on the ground.

The robbers didn't expect the police to appear and opened fire - you can see the two bullet holes in the windshield, and the shattered glass on the street is from the drivers' side window:

ACP Chester Williams, OC - Southside ED
"When the police were about to alight the vehicle, one of them fire several shots at the police officers and that resulted in the woman police constable who is WPC Caliz, receiving gunshot wound to the head and to the right index finger. The gunshot wound to the head is not life threatening. It is practically a graze. But the bullet is lodge between the skull and the skin."

27-year-old Woman Constable 1845 Sheneah Caliz was coming out of the mobile and fell on the street - you can see the bloodstain marking where she collapsed.

Her fellow police officer - an unarmed male constable bravely set chase after the fleeing gunman - who dashed down King Street.

ACP Chester Williams, OC - Southside ED
"Yes one of the officers did set chase after him. I must say that the officer was brave because he was unarmed and he was chasing a man who was armed. But the reason the officer chased was to see the direction that he would go and I think that while it may seem to be a very stupid move on the part of the officer, it was a good move. Because the information he gathered in pursuing that individual was what actually aid the police to have been able to locate where this person was."

That's where the GSU came in - they tracked their suspect into a yard on the canal side - it was made that much easier because as this trail of blood on east canal near Dean Street shows, he was injured:

ACP Chester Williams, OC - Southside ED
"After the incident took place Jackson ran through a yard down Prince Street area and he apparently got a large cut wound to the foot and was bleeding profusely as a result of that cut wound. So he too have received treatment at the hospital in relation to the injuries he sustained. The quick response from the Gang Suppression Unit immediately after the incident resulted in the detention of one Jamal Jackson and the recovery of a 9mm pistol."

Reporter
"Was this firearm recovered from that gentleman's person or was it in the general area where he was captured by GSU?"

ACP Chester Williams, OC - Southside ED
"He actually took the police to the firearm and handed it over to them. I cannot say what he was pondering when he handed over the firearm to the police. That's a matter between him and God."

That him is Jamal Jackson - a man well known to police:

ACP Chester Williams, OC - Southside ED
"Jamal Jackson is no stranger to the police. If you would recall that he is one of the persons who were charged and acquitted of the murder of the security guard at Biltmore Plaza Hotel. We have done an identification parade this morning and Jamal Jackson has been positively identified in that ID parade, so he will be charged either today or tomorrow morning in respect to the incident on Albert Street."

And while police prepare to charge their suspect by this evening or early tomorrow, Williams says they are determined to send a message:

ACP Chester Williams, OC - Southside ED
"If you shoot at an agent of the state in execution of their duty, we will send a message to you, loud and clear. As an officer, it does not mean that the message will be in a violent way. Like what we did last night, ensuring that that person was caught and caught very quickly is good enough. He has gotten the message."

Williams says that to ensure that the prosecution is successful - he is personally involved:

ACP Chester Williams, OC - Southside ED
"I have been directing the police investigators in terms of what needs to be done and at what point in time and even this morning I continue to communicate with Mr. Romero and Mr. Coy, to ensure that we cross all out T's and dot our I's in ensuring that we put together the best possible investigation that we can."

And now the attention turns to Constable Caliz:

ACP Chester Williams, OC - Southside ED
"But thank goodness the bullet did not go into her skull and she is on her way to recovery."

Constable Caliz is in the KHMH in a stable condition where her injury is not life threatening and she is not in pain.

As we noted there were two robbers - and while police expect to charge the gunman, 31 year old Jamal Jackson by tomorrow - they are still seeking his accomplice. From what we have been able to piece together Woman Constable Caliz was the only armed officer in the patrol pickup. She had her gun on the ready, but apparently didn't expect the gunman to fire upon them so quickly. When he did, she put up her hand to cover her face - and that's when her index finger got shot. She fell on the street and a passing coast guard officer worked with a constable to get her back into the pickup and to the KHMH.

As for the weapon that police recovered, it was the GSU who found it with nine live rounds.

Home | Archives | Downloads/Podcasts | Advertise | Contact Us

7 News Belize