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How did that happen? It's part of one of the most extraordinary law enforcement engagements in recent memory. Jules Vasquez has the story:..

Jules Vasquez reporting
Today the Coast Guard Commander, the BDF Commandant, the Commissioner of Police and the Officer Commanding Eastern Division detailed what is only being described as a joint national security operation on northern Ambergris Caye involving elements from each armed force.

Captain John Borland - Commandant Coast Guard
"The operation was launched as a result of information gained on armed groups in this area acting hostile to elements of the community, causing them to fear for their lives and their welfare. The security forces, recognizing that this is our direct responsibility, launched that operation to clear the area of any forces that were indeed operating in this area, armed or unarmed."

It happened on Saturday in the area of Bacalar Chico - 17 miles north of San Pedro Town to the border with Mexico

Starting at 6:00 am, The joint force focused on the Boca Bacalar Chico - working on foot to sweep an area ten miles south to San Pedro Town.

Around 8:00 am they came upon their first find:

Captain John Borland
"Shortly after the patrol deployed, they began recognizing telltale signs of what they believed were illicit activity. They came across empty shell cases fired from weapons that they were familiar with. They found boxes that contained this ammunition. They recognized some of the vegetation and trees being used as targets, where clearly identified, visible, bullet marks were seen on these vegetation. The patrol then realized that this was indeed potentially hostile environment."

So they commenced a tactical operation - and at midday encountered their enemy:

Captain John Borland
"Approximately 4 miles into the patrol, the lead scout signaled that he sighted someone in the vegetation about 300 metres from where the patrol was located. The patrol then halted, and the commander ordered that they would leave their heavy equipment behind, and then proceed lightly in order to conduct an assault if they were engaged. Shortly after they began advancing tactically, they came under fire. The patrol commander then ordered that the patrol take cover and return fire in the direction of where the hostile fire was coming from. They recognized that 4 individuals were in the area where the hostile fire was coming from. The patrol then started firing and maneuvering toward that location to assault and fight through, what we saw as an enemy objective. The area was cleared, and the enemy position was neutralized. The patrol then searched the area, where they discovered 3 casualties. The individuals who were sighted in the area, 3 of them were neutralized, and 1 escaped in the vegetation."

The firefight lasted five minutes. It left three hostiles dead with no injuries to the security forces.

Aaron Humes - Amandala Press
"Can you say, based on what was told to you, if it was certain that these individuals fired first, and then you responded?"

Captain John Borland
"There is no mistake; the patrol came under contact. We received fire from a hostile position, and the patrol responded in kind."

Jules Vasquez
"It seems that if there is a firefight, you have to be fairly poor at using your weapons if you are the first to fire, 3 of the 4 dies, and the other side experiences no even an injury. Is there information to suggest that these guys didn't know how to shoot, or weren't proficient in the type of firearms that they were using?"

Captain John Borland
"Certainly, I would not like to say that they didn't know how to shoot. Their proficiency may be in question because the forces on the ground reported taking automatic fire. It is just a combination of their skills, their training, and their experience that allowed them to be with us today, and not on the receiving end those 3 people that became casualties were."

The three casualties are Kendale Flowers from the Yabra area in Belize city - and two other still unidentified Hispanic males:

David Henderson - Commissioner of Police
"One of the persons, who has been identified as a person from Belize City, is known to have affiliations with one of the known gangs."

Jules Vasquez
"The person who escaped."

Captain John Borland
"That individual was described as a person of Hispanic descent, so while we cannot give you a clear description, because the distance was approximately 50 metres when he fled into the vegetation - he was already in the vegetation, and therefore, I can't give a clear description. They mentioned a person of fair complexion."

And while he escaped, what his group left behind is even more telling:

Captain John Borland
"The patrol continued searching the area, where they discovered a number of items belonging to the individuals who had opened fire on them. The items are as described: 1 M-16 A-1 rifle, 2 M-4 Commando rifle, 1 9 millimeter Ruger pistol, 3 bullet proof vests, 2 binoculars, 5 rifle magazines, a large amount of 5.56 millimeter, and .223 ammunition, and a small quantity of marijuana."

At least one of weapons was confirmed to be one of those stolen from the BDF - and the others bear a resemblance:

Captain John Borland
"Yes, we are very familiar with those kinds of weapons. The M-4 carbines are the exact same type of weapons that our security forces uses, meaning the BDF, the Coast Guard, and the Police Department. The M-16, in particular, has already been identified as one of those that went missing in the weapons that were stolen from the BDF. The other weapons are still being investigated. They are in the custody of the forensics and Special Branch, and they were taken to the lab, because as you know, the serial numbers have all been filed off. So, it needs to be looked at with better equipment than just the visible eyes."

David Henderson
"At this time, the weapons are being checked carefully. We know that one of them is from the BDF that was stolen. The others are yet to be identified, but as soon as we are through with that, you all will be informed."

Brigadier General Dario Tapia - Commander, BDF
"The vests are black in color. Certainly, it is not something that the BDF uses. In terms of the binoculars, we have looked them. They are 2 different types. They are of the commercial types, not the military type. So, the equipment appears that that they were acquired from the civilian shops or shelves."

It is a remarkable - unprecedented event - in a desolate area that has witnessed multiple drug related homicides before:

Captain John Borland
"We all know that the area of Bachalar Chico that is north of San Pedro - Rocky Point to Bachalar Chico - has long been a troubled region where the community has been terrorized, and has felt unsafe. They have feared for the security, and their welfare."

David Henderson
"We will not speculate, but at the same time, we know that the area is a known area. It is an area where criminal activity usually occurs, and hence, the operation was conducted."

Captain John Borland
"We all know that the spike in crime and violence in Belize City has been linked to drugs flowing into the country. We believe that some of that drugs came in from that area, the area north of San Pedro - Rocky Point to Bachalar Chico. We have had incidents in the past where wet drops took place just north of that area, specifically in the area of Banco Chinchoro - that's over on the Mexican side - but the tides and currents drift that stuff over into our territorial seas, and subsequently on to the beaches. That is the modius operandi of the people working in that area. So, there is a strong possibility that there might have been a recent transaction, or one was about to take place."

The map images are approximations of the general area based on the physical description given by Borland. The commanders strictly refused to disclose how many men were in the joint patrol or what units were involved.

Additional information released by police following the press conference moves the time of engagement from after midday to 3:30 pm on Saturday - and puts the location at one mile north of Rocky Point. The police say the firefight lasted for ten minutes and describes the hispanic males as the first wearing a black T-Shirt, a camouflage jacket and pants, and no foot wear with multiple gunshot wounds, the second was wearing a black T-Shirt, a camouflage jacket and pants, tennis shoes and two suspected gunshot wounds. Kendale Flowers also wore a camouflage jacket and pants and police say no injuries were visible on his body. In total, there were over 150 assorted live rounds