But, while a man is dead, and lethal force was used in abundance, if we go back to the genesis of the event, we'll see that it was basically just an eviction. Richard Garcia, known as "Charlie" was staying in someone else's home and the owner wanted him out. But, then why did police go there with machine guns and assault rifles?
That's what we asked the Officer Commanding Corozal - and his answer led us to a very pointed question for the minister who was formerly a career police officer:...
Alex Courtenay
"On Friday, when the Officers went to go and confront Mr. Garcia we were told through our conversations with the residents that those officers were very heavily armed. Is that, was that amount of armament necessary to go and deal with one man who was as far as you know just armed with a machete?"
Sr. Supt. Dennis Arnold - CO, Corozal Police
"Well at that point the officers didn't know what they were going to meet. They didn't know what they were going to meet. It's best you go over armed than to go under armed."
Jules Vasquez
"Mr. Arnold has said in an interview, the officer commanding has said that he told them to go with maximum force. It's almost like they premeditated."
"He told them to take whatever arms are necessary and they took automatic rifles. Was there a breakdown in procedure there?"
Hon. Elodio Aragon, Police Minister of State
"Well, Jules, I don't know where you're coming from because, I, you know, I haven't heard that, personally. And so, I can't comment on that. What I can tell you is that as far as I was informed is that a report was made in terms of this individual. And therefore the police went based on that report that was made."
Jules Vasquez
"But evictions need a court order, procedurally."
Hon. Elodio Aragon, Police Minister of State
"Well, well, well Jules, I don't know if it's about eviction. From what I heard it was a report made 06:22 of him upon someone else, and that is the information I have."
Police originally said they sent the file to the DPP - which they have had to backtrack on when the DPP let if be known that she has not received any file. Police now say they are preparing the file for the DPP.
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