So, acting Commissioner Williams has laid down the law, "not anymore" he says.
And the index event that set this whole chain of events into motion is a murder on Friday evening in Belize City. Until then, gang tensions in the city had been simmering, but after Friday afternoon, those tensions erupted into all out warfare.
Williams discussed how Shakedi Baizar's murder marked that pivotal tipping point:..
Jules Vasquez reporting
On Friday afternoon, Shakedi Baizar was killed on Magazine Road. He had just gone to the Matron Roberts Clinic - which is in the territory of the Banak Street gang. And that's why this the 23 year old with a George Street connection was targeted for death as he walked and read his prescription:
Jenny Baizar, Shakedi's Mother
"My son doesn't really come to Belize City. To any time he has a result to pick up at the health center, it was me who would go and pick up the result."
Reporter
"What was told to you that as he was coming out reading his results when he spun around, there is even a bullet mark in the prescription paper."
Jenny Baizar, Shakedi's Mother
"Yes, that's true. The bullet hole was through the paper that he had in his hand."
There were four gang related murders in the city after his death:
DCP Chester Williams, AG. Commissioner
"Following that murder there were two other murders that night - we brought in the guys who were involved from George Street and Banak. We sat in with them. We had intervention with them and they were released Saturday in the evening and they promised that they would be holding the peace. Lo and behold as they were released from custody - two other persons were killed immediately thereafter. To me that shows outright disrespect to the police and the public."
Reporter
"How can you attribute the murders of Saturday night to the persons you met with? How can you blame it on them?"
DCP Chester Williams, AG. Commissioner
"Every gunshot that fires in Belize City, I know who's done it, yes."
And now, this police operation is a completely different thing - a state of emergency - the likes of which have not been seen for decades - and it's caused greater agony for this grieving mother:
Jenny Baizar, Shakedi's Mother
"So we were planning to lay my son to rest Friday, but BAM, this thing come up. They went, the police held my 2 sons and they are detained. I get to understand now that they are going to jail. For what, I don't know. My 2 sons got affected by this, because they [police] woke them from their beds. Then they knock one of my sons in his back. What did they knock him for? If you are doing an operation and you are going to pick up someone, then take the person and arrest him. These things are disgusting. This upsets me, knowing that I have a death in my family. I have my child that I need to bury and they are not giving me a break."
DCP Chester Williams, AG. Commissioner
"To the parents who will be shouting on the media, because I know on the media we will be getting complaints. I listen to the talk shows this morning, already heard some complaints, but when the gang members, the children were out on the street killing, robbing burglarizing and tormenting people, they were not complaining. So now that we have decided to move this way, to deal with them, please don't complain."
"What we are doing maybe what will save the lives of their children, because if they continue down this path, eventually it will take them to one place and you all know where that is."
Williams has reportedly agreed to let Shakedi's two brothers - who are presently being held as gang members - attend his funeral on Friday with a police escort.
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