Police have charged a 21 year-old San Pedro resident for a weekend shooting on the island which left an adult in critical condition at the hospital, and 2 minors injured. He's this man, 21 year-old Christian Espat, a resident of the San Pedrito area, and reports to 7News are that he has caught the attention of police before.
It happened on Saturday night just after 9:00 in the San Pedrito area, which is also where the main suspect lives. 27 year-old Lloyd Tyndall, a resident of Toledo, was at the "Easy Does it A&A Wood Work Shop." Also with him in the yard at that time was a 9 year old boy and a 12 year-old boy. And that's when 2 gunmen, who were wearing rags covering their nose a mouth, ran into the yard and opened fire.
It is not clear who the intended target was, but the 27 year-old Toledo resident was injured by 3 shots which hit him in the abdomen, and another 3 shots which hit him in the left leg. In the spray of gunfire, the 9 year-old student suffered a gunshot to the left wrist, while the 12 year-old suffered an injury to the right buttocks.
Today, the Acting Commander of Eastern Division, Assistant Police Commissioner Edward Broaster, gave a press briefing discussing the incident. He told us what police know at this time:
ACP Edward Broaster - Acting OC, Eastern Division North
"On Saturday, the 12th of August, we had a shooting on the island of San Pedro at about 9 p.m., where one male person was shot along with 2 minors. They were socializing or hanging out in a premises when 2 male persons passed by and fired several shots. The male person, adult, who is Lloyd Tyndall, 27 years-old, received 3 gunshot wounds to the left abdomen, and 3 to the left leg. The 12 year-old minor received one gunshot wound to the buttocks, and a graze to the left leg. The second minor received a gunshot wound to the left forearm. We have not established any motive at this time. Nevertheless, we have 2 persons of interest in custody who we are looking at."
Daniel Ortiz, reporter
"Do you or the investigators have any idea as to who was the intended target, in a shooting where 2 minors were injured?"
ACP Edward Broaster
"Like I said, we haven't been able to establish the motive of the shooting as yet. So, it is difficult for us to establish who the intended target was or is. Nevertheless, Saturday night, we dispatched members of the Gang Suppression Unit to the island, and we will be beefing up and adding additional personnel on the island to ensure that the level of shooting that had transpired in San Pedro, couple years ago, does not re-occur."
Police report that 27 year-old Lloyd Tyndall is in a critical condition at the hospital.
21 year Christian Espat has since been arrested and charged with 2 counts of attempted murder 2 counts of dangerous harm, and 3 counts of use of deadly means of harm. Police have transferred him to Belize City, and it is expected that he will be arraigned at the Magistrate's Court tomorrow.
v
Our colleagues from the San Pedro Sun Newspaper report that he is related to the Espat family on the island, who also live in the San Pedrito area, and who have lost 6 male family members to gun violence over the last 8 years.
Email
Print