An exchange of gunfire on the mean streets of southside Belize last night has left one police officer injured. And city police are on an intense manhunt to find the person responsible for shooting and injuring one of their own. Police Constable Abel Mendez was shot and injured last night at around eight P.M. when he and Constable Ebelio Itza both attached to the Mahogany Street Police sub-station were on mobile patrol on Partridge street between Morning Glory and Peter Seco streets. Police press officer Fitzroy Yearwood told 7mnews they have several leads but the hunt is still on:…
Fitzroy Yearwood, Police Press Officer
"Sometime after 8 pm last night PC Mendez and PC Itza were at the Mahogany station when they received information from our control room about a robbery in progress somewhere on Partridge Street. This is somewhere between Morning Glory and Peter Seco Street. The officers left in a marked police vehicle to check into this report and they saw 2 young men riding on Partridge Street towards Mahogany Street when they stopped to conduct a search. One of the men was being carried on the handle bar of a bicycle, he jumped off that and ran into a nearby yard and the other man just reached down for a firearm and opened fire at the police hitting PC Mendez causing his injuries. PC Itza returned fire but both men made good their escape and he transported PC Mendez to the KHMH."
Jim McFadzean
"How is the constable doing and have police detained anyone yet in this shooting."
Fitzroy Yearwood, Police Press Officer
"Well constable Mendez is listed in a critical but stable condition and we have one person detained in connection with this incident and we are seeking another."
And while police continue their investigation, the mother of two of three men detained so far for the shooting of Constable Mendez says her sons haven't got anything to do with the shooting
Valda Bodden, sons detained in police shooting
"Sunday evening the police took him and they say they are holding him pending the investigation. They let him out yesterday about after 6 pm he reach home and when he got home he took a bath and she told him that his girlfriend is calling for him to pick her up, he borrow a bike and he went and when he came back he went to the girl house and when we look we see the police. They come and search the place and didn't find anything. They went and later 3 truck load of officers come back and they stomp open the gate and they say they are looking for any weapon and ammunition. They dig up the whole place and didn't find anything. My son was in his house and they handcuff him and take him. We are asking why are they taking him for and they say pending an investigation. My son girlfriend came and told me that they are beating up Kevin back there, so we run on the street where they were beating him. When we get there they didn't allow me to see him, they had the whole place blocked off. The officer told him to lift up his hand and while lifting up his hand they slap him in his face with the flashlight."
Jim McFadzean
"Where were they doing the beating?"
Valda Bodden, sons detained in police shooting
"Berries Street by his girlfriend house. Then the police grabbed him and pushed him outside and they started to beat him. Then when they finished beating him up, they handcuffed him. They didn't bring him to the police station any at all. So when they come to the station I asked them what did they do with my son. They didn't answer me. So I was working and they called me and they said that they have my son at the station and so I have to go there for them to take the statement in front of me. When I got there they say that they will charge him for shooting the police. They say that someone tell them that it was my son that shoot the police."
Jim McFadzean
"They told you that somebody accused your son of shooting the police."
Valda Bodden, sons detained in police shooting
"He told me that they beat him up and they put a plastic bag over his head."
Jim McFadzean
"Which one of your sons is this?"
Valda Bodden, sons detained in police shooting
"The 17 year old. I ask the officer why they are beating him because they didn't find him with anything. They bring him to west landivar and the police told me that they will kill him."
Jim McFadzean
"How did your other son Elvis got arrested?"
Valda Bodden, sons detained in police shooting
"I don't know. They just pick him up for nothing. He didn't do anything; they just picked up him and have him at the police station too. And then I see when they bring him from out the station, he was limping on one foot, I don't know if they beat him also. We just come from the station and they say that they don't have any charge on him."
The police press officer would not comment on the allegation of police brutality.
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