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An on duty Belize Defense Force Soldier shot and killed a man at the San Pablo Community Center on Saturday night. The deceased is George Kenny Cortez – a resident of Douglas Village. He and his family were at the shelter because of the quarantine in Douglas.

The official story from police is that Cortez was drunk and behaving disorderly around 8 on Saturday night. That’s when two soldiers assigned to the shelter – Lance Corporal Paulino Pop and Private Paulino Assi jumped in. According to the soldiers, they tried to subdue George Cortez but he cursed them and approached them in a threatening manner. Private Assi fired a warning shot in the air but he claims George Cortez continued to advance which is why he fired a third shot which hit George Cortez in the left leg. Cortez was taken to the Northern Regional Hospital and then to the KHMH where he died early the next morning.

And while that’s the official story, Cortez’s aunt Alexandria Roman says that’s not the whole story. She says her nephew was drunk but he was unarmed and more than that, she says her nephew was shot from behind.

Alexandria Roman, Aunt of Deceased
“He was half drunk. I told him when he was cursing up out there and thing but it was nothing for the soldier to get vex. I told him to come in but he didn’t listen to me and I told the soldier he didn’t have to shoot him. He could have taken the boy and call the policeman so they could come and arrest him. But no, he meant to kill the little boy. And next thing is he said the little boy had a machete but the little boy didn’t have any machete. That is a lie.”

Keith Swift,
You said he was half drunk, what was he doing wrong?

Alexandria Roman,
“He was just standing up by the gat and cursing but he didn’t haul any tools or nothing.”

Keith Swift,
So the BDF soldiers told him to behave himself and he didn’t?

Alexandria Roman,
“No, he was just cursing and cursing.”

Keith Swift,
So they fired two shots?

Alexandria Roman,
“They came out of the yard and went behind him and fired the shot.”

Sister of Deceased,
“They shot him “back-on” and two of them were under liquor and it can’t be like that. They have to do something about this. This can’t stay like that.”

Keith Swift,
Was Kenny a trouble maker?

Sister of Deceased,
“He is nobody who gives trouble. He doesn’t bother anyone. He holds his corner and when he drinks sometimes he gives problem and thing but everybody knows how he behaves and this stupid BDF, he will come and shot my little brother like he is stupid.”

Private Paulino Assi is being held at the BDF Headquarters at Price Barracks pending the outcome of the police investigation. A post mortem will be conducted tomorrow.