For the past 2 months, the Corozal police have been forced to take on very complex homicide cases. There have been 2 double murders that have occured, and tonight, they must looking into a controversial shooting in which one of their own officers fatally injured a civilian.
It's the incident we told you about on our Friday Night newscast, and tonight we have the official details out of Chunox Village, Corozal.
The police version is that at around 4:50 p.m., Corozal police officers were responding to a disturbance at the home of 44 year-old Richard Allen Garcia. The cops say that he came after a police officer with a machete in hand. He was reportedly advancing on the officer in a threatening manner. That officer reportedly fired warning shots to discourage Garcia's advance, but he allegedly kept going at the officer. The officer said that he believed he had no choice but to shoot him. The officer opened fire, and injured him to the chin, neck and to the right collar bone, gunshot wounds which killed him on the spot.
But, there are always two sides to every story, and tonight, the Chunox Villagers continue to disagree with the use of deadly force. Alex Courtenay went looking for answers in Corozal, and here's his story:
Alex Courtenay reporting
Ricardo Allen Garcia lived in Chunox Village in the Corozal district for the past several years. Garcia had been living peacefully in a small thatch house free of charge, however earlier this year, the owner of the property decided that she wanted to develop the land and improve the structure. Garcia allegedly refused to move when asked to in March, so the property's owner made a complaint to the police.
Sr. Supt. Dennis Arnold - Commander, Corozal Police
"Somewhere in early March of this year, they have a lady from Chunox went to the Progresso police to make a report in relation to this man Richard Allen Garcia. She had made mention that several years ago she had given Mr. Garcia permission to stay on the said land. Now she is ready to improve the land and the building and Mr. Garcia refused to leave the premises. Instead, he pull machete and threaten her with her life. She went to the Progresso police, the police went out there. At that time Mr. Garcia was over at the neighbor and saw the police went there. When the police left he went home."
The police told us that since the initial complaint in March, Garcia continued to refuse to move, and even made threats against the police should they come back. Well, the police went back for Garcia last Friday, and managed to catch up to him after circling around the neighborhood to trick him into going back home. However, when they met him in front of the house, he was already armed and ready to fight.
Sr. Supt. Dennis Arnold - Commander, Corozal Police
"They went back to check to see. He was at home. When the officers got to his house, apparently he was waiting. When the officer knock at the door, he open and just came out with the machete swinging. Apparently he wanted to chop the officers. The officer backed up and when the officer fell to the ground, apparently Mr. Garcia wanted to chop the officer in the head, so the officer was on his back firing kick towards Mr. Garcia and it was then that the other officer fired couple warning shots. Mr. Garcia did eased, didn't stop - he intended to chop the officer and that was when the fatal shot catch him."
Garcia was pronounced dead on arrival to the hospital, but his body did not get there until the next day. That's because immediately after the incident, dozens of residents flooded the area and started making things difficult for the cops at the scene.
Sr. Supt. Dennis Arnold - Commander, Corozal Police
"The Scenes Crime officers went out there along with other officers, because the crowd was all riled up. As soon as dark set, they start stoning the officers and they had to take cover. They left everything there. They left the Scenes of Crime kit, they took that. I don't know where it is right now. They had injured several officers. They stone bottles, mangoes, bricks - you name it."
After the cops fled the scene, several residents told us that they stayed behind to watch the body and make sure nobody tampered with it. But Arnold told us that when the cops went back to retrieve the body the next day, the scene had been several compromised.
Reporter
"With regards to the incident after the shooting when the officers were being stoned by the villagers, was that the specific reason why the body was left there overnight?"
Sr. Supt. Dennis Arnold - Commander, Corozal Police
"That is the specific reason. To finish the processing of the scene, the villagers tampered with the scene. They broke up the markers that the scenes of crime officers put down there. Basically the officers and the scenes of crime officers ran left everything there."
Because the police were directly involved in the death of Garcia, the incident is currently being investigated by the Professional Standards Branch. From what residents in the area told us, the police seemed to be excessively armed, and may have acted recklessly. But that's up to Professional Standards to decide. A report has also been sent to the DPP for her review, and Arnold told us that they are awaiting her advice.
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