The funeral for notorious gang figure, 26 year old Kendis Flowers funeral was held yesterday in Belize City.
As we've been reporting, Flowers was a senior member of the Ghost Town Crips and yesterday, as a send off, some of his fellow gang members rendered a street version of the 21 Gun Salute. Now, that kind of salute is reserved for state funerals, but yesterday the streets did their version, and it sent chills through the Mayflower Street neighborhood - near Vernon Street.
After the funeral and the procession were finished, the GSU went in to arrest those who they believed were discharging firearms indiscriminately in public. But they stepped into a volatile situation of a grieving family who believes that same GSU killed their loved one!
Sahar Vasquez reports on what happened next.
Sahar Vasquez reporting
Kendis Flowers was not a member of the army or a high powered political figure instead he was the General of The Ghost Town Crips, a large and feared gang in Belize. For his crew, his status deemed him worthy of a 21 gun salute.
The sea of white and blue walking behind his coffin did not dive or crouch to avoid getting hit, they rejoiced in each shot honouring one of their leaders but little did they know the pandemonium it would cause a few hours later.
After the funeral, the family gathered together on Mayflower Street to continue the mourning but that mourning quickly turned into fear and anger. A team of GSU entered the premises and chaos was unleashed
Sandra Uter, Eyewitness
"The last GSU that came in the yard is the one that targeted the young man that was standing here with me and my grandson. He pulled him in his shirt and told him "you come". He said, "why are you taking me I am not doing anything". I asked the officer he did not answer me he just looked at me in my face. When the young man hugged my grandson and the post he started to pull. He is 20 and he started tugging for him to move his hand so they can take him. Another one of the officers told them to stand down but he did not comply. About two seconds after that he let him go and he walked through the gate. Another man grabbed him and they started a tug of war at the same time between the fence refusing to go with them. He said he did not want to go by himself because they will finish beating him up. My niece was standing at the back. I don't really know what occurred there because I was focused on this side and the officer took out the pepper spray and started spraying her in her face. She fainted and fell down. We took her to the hospital."
And the turmoil did not end there, several shots were fired and according to Yuter quite a few people were hit in a yard brimming with children.
Sandra Uter, Eyewitness
"I have one of my daughter in law that was hit with one of the bullets. I have two other people. A young man was standing there when they fired on him, hit him in his foot. About three or four persons were hit with it. Then they started shooting the light and hit my window upstairs there."
After numerous citizens took to social media to vent about the conduct of the lawmen, Commander of Operations. ACP Chester Williams WROTE a lengthy post explaining what triggered the operation.
In a nutshell, Williams said that the armed forces went in because several people called in complaining about gunshots during and after the funeral. Williams said the team waited until the funeral was done out of respect and the proceeded to Mayflower Street where he says the GSU were met with force by the residents. He ended off by saying "We cannot win the war against crime if we allow lawlessness to prevail or to allow any group to believe that they can do as they please and get away."
However, Yuter says she knew nothing about a 21 gun salute. It came as a surprise to her and others when they heard the shots.
Sandra Uter, Eyewitness
"I don't know about any 21 gun salute. I heard shots firing, but I don't know where but it was not from here while the funeral was passing out that way."
Sahar Vasquez
"So for his funeral, there was no 21 gun salute?"
Sandra Uter, Eyewitness
"We did not have any 21 gun salute. Only that I heard shots fired but I don't know where the shots were coming."
Two different accounts, and one afternoon of terror and rage in this often troubled neighborhood.
Today the Ministry of National Security sent out a release saying, quote, "they are satisfied that there was justifiable cause for security personnel to enter the area as there were multiple reports of gunfire in the vicinity, which created a state of fear and panic among residents in the area."
They also expressed the Ministry's satisfaction that the authorities were, quote, "able to exercise great restraint while being verbally and physically attacked by residents." End quote.
According to them, two police officers were injured with pint bottles that were thrown by the mob. According to the GSU, they did not injure anyone with live rounds. As for the woman seen on the ground, they say she fainted. Police refused to make any on camera comment today.
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