Last night we also had late breaking news on a barrage of gunshots fired on west canal, not far from our studio. Information to us was that around 6:00 pm, two men from a northside gang were seen on West Canal - which is George Street turf. And with street hostilities high - it seems that being in the wrong place at the wrong time can get you killed! And an unknown gang related shooter let that be known by issuing a spray of what turned out to be warning shots. Those in the area say 12 to 15 shots were fired, and the interlopers got the message, they jumped in their car and went speeding up west canal, right into a waiting police checkpoint. Today, Southside Commander Chester Williams told us more - and we asked why couldn't police do more:...
ACP. Chester Williams, OC, Eastern Division South
"There were 2 persons in a vehicle hanging out in the area of Prince and the Canal side. It is basically enemy turf actually and apparently they were spotted by the personnel from the George Street area who then went and fired shots, not at them but within the area to scare them to get them out of the area. The persons upon doing so were intercepted by the police and they are in custody at this time because they are wanted for a shooting over at North Side."
Jules Vasquez
"There is a tent out there on the street, is it that the gangs so own the street where somebody can just go there and shoot 12-15 shots and no response. You end up detaining the target, not the person with the weapon to say that the firearm was around."
ACP. Chester Williams, OC, Eastern Division South
"Jules you must understand that as police officers our primary function is the protection of life and property. Yes, whilst those persons who were detained were the targets, they were detained for their own safety. Getting out of there could have also caused them their lives. In respect to the tent that is west canal, that is all the way by Rocky Road, it is quite distance away. The police were able to respond quickly despite the fact that there were a distance away. They responded quickly along with the strike team that is assigned to the George Street area, hence the reason that they were able to intercept those person that were detained very shortly thereafter."
Jules Vasquez
"You all are saying that you have accede control of certain streets?"
ACP. Chester Williams, OC, Eastern Division South
"No."
Jules Vasquez
"Yes you are saying that sir, because if you have an encampment right out there, which is just like the following operating base, right on the Canal side on both west canal where a man can just come out with a gun. A hostile from George Street can just come out with a gun and shoot so much shots, while your officers are on camp right there. You all can't protect the Belizeans who are trying to go down that street nor are you able to stop or intercept the man who is shooting or even stop him from shooting. You all have lost control of that street, it has been annex by the gangs."
ACP. Chester Williams, OC, Eastern Division South
"Jules Vasquez, my friend, I refute your comment and let me say to you, the police have not accede and will never accede jurisdiction of any streets or any part of Belize to any gangs. Where the shooting occurred was a distance away from where the police officers were and it is not like the person who did the shooting went in front of the police and say 'see my gun here I'm going to go shoot over there now' and the police just stood idle by and did nothing. Right after the shooting, the police jumped into operation mode and they did what they needed to do and they showed that the police are in control of the streets."
As you saw in our footage Police maintain a strong presence on West Canal, at the junction of Rocky Road which is the intersection of three gang areas. The shooting happened about 300 yards west of the police tent.
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