One of the police personalities leading the charge on this one is GSU Commander Mark Flowers. All indications are that the Dangriga murder, and the aftershocks in Belize City were gang related. That's why Flowers rolled out his GSU team on special operations starting at 9:00 on Sunday morning. And, in the afternoon, he was part of that mediation meeting with gang figures. Today in Belmopan he shed more light on the gang element and assured the public that the police are working to contain any further flare ups.
Courtney Weatherburne
"Sir, in terms of the gang context could you say, based on your intelligence, if the alleged shooter is associated with the South Side gang?"
Supt. Mark Flowers, Commander, GSU
"We know that he is a Dangriga resident who have lived in Belize City and who is also closely associated, that is a suspected shooter, with the South Side gang. We are still trying to put together the pieces. The investigators are out in Dangriga to establish his full unequivocal participation in that shooting. And I guess that from there the follow up, if there's a need to arrest and charge will take place. We know that he is associated with Belize City South Side gang."
Courtney Weatherburne
"Can you say if there is a gang rivalry between the George Street gang, one that Mr. Tillet is known to be affiliated with and the South Side gang which the alleged shooter is suspected to be associated with?"
Supt. Mark Flowers, Commander, GSU
"Yes, that is our rivals, they are not known to be friends. We don't know that there were any recent engagement as such. However we do know, from our intelligence, that they are not friends at all."
Courtney Weatherburne
"At this point can you say or confirm that this incident or what happened in Dangriga and the spin off that happened in Belize City is related to gang warfare?"
Supt. Mark Flowers, Commander, GSU
"In the aftermath of the shooting in Dangriga, there were some flare-up in Belize City and on Sunday morning around 12:15, a young fellow, Kadeem Castillo, was also killed. We suspect in the retaliation for the 'Shiny' Tillet murder. Since this time we are able to deploy, to reorganize ourselves and to prevent further escalation in the shooting. We had a meeting with the gang members from the George Street yesterday morning. Mr. Chester Williams, Roger and myself, we are trying to coordinate ways to keep this at a minimal. We want to assure our public that we are in fact engaged, we are doing our part, and we are trying to do as much as we possibly can to reduce these incidents."
Flowers told us that he and Assistant Commissioner Chester Williams met with members of the George Street Gang yesterday morning.
He says they will make special deployments for the wake and the funeral to make sure peace is maintained.
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