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There was a New Year's Day chopping in Belmopan's Maya Mopan neighborhood. It happened when a Police Constable attempted to chase off a group of men who were threatening his family. 

And while 33-year-old Edgar Teul survived the incident he remains in the KHMH intubated and with a broken skull. Cherisse Halsall looked into the series of events that put the officer's life in grave danger:

This was the harrowing moment when Police constable Edgar Teul was attacked by a mob of men on a football field in Maya Mopan. He received one chop to the arm before attempting to shield himself and then fight back against his attackers. Another chop, and you see him fall to the ground. Finally, the assailant's runoff as police gunfire can be heard.

And, at today's press briefing Sr. Superintendent Hilberto Romero told us that police got there while the crime was in progress and quickly made three arrests

Hilberto Romero - Sr. Supt Deputy Head, NCIB
"On Wednesday the 1st day of January 2020 Belmopan police were on mobile patrol in the Maya Mopan area of Belmopan when they were alerted to a chopping incident that was occurring at the Maya Mopan football field. They immediately responded and came across the chopping incident. They found Edgar Teul police Constable 33 years of age with chop wounds to the head and to the hands they immediately apprehended three suspects who were involved in this chopping incident and they were taken into custody. Edgar Teul was transported to the Western Regional Hospital and thereafter to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where he is admitted receiving treatment. He is now listed in a stable condition."

Teul's family says that the mob of young men were attempting to come after Teul's nephew. They had already inflicted a chop wound to Teul's brother Pedro when the Police Constable attempted to chase them away from the yard. Plus TV spoke to a family member:

Voice of family member
"We were sitting drinking some couple beers with my aunty and uncle Pedro Teul which is the owner of the place. We set sitting outside when I see a group of guys coming down with machete and prepare to fight somebody. I was sitting down and people start to curse me but aunty tell me ignore them, so my uncle which was sitting inside, he come outside because he is a police officer, he just want to tell those guys to move on, but no I see those guys just attack me uncle and he is a police officer, he just wanted to tell them to move on, leave me alone, avoid problems. Then I see this guy just chop he."

"If we were look problem, we would defend ourselves same way, my uncle just came to do his job and I was calling for my cousin to help us, that is when my cousin came outside and he see everything, my uncle already chopped in his head and his hand. I was frightened, I thought they were going to kill him, they chopped him in the head, he tried to get up but he bleed. Those guys chopped him again but same time thanks to the police they come at the same time, they stopped them and one of those guys tried to run away but the police still didn't catch one of them. Well actually I fear for my life because I use to live this gang life, long time ago, got charged. I changed my life, I'm working now, I want to seek the best and look like they want problem with me, these group of guys like give problem with each other. They saw me and I stop going out, I'm working now and they hurt the wrong guy, it's me they wanted. When problem happen like, let's say those guys and when I have a fight with them, people say I am the bad one. They want to hurt me, so what I should do. I feel for my life and my uncle is the one that got chopped."

Teul's skull was broken leaving him in a coma in the immediate aftermath of the attack. He is now conscious although still unable to speak. Hospital staff at the KHMH continue to monitor Teul closely. 

The main suspect in Teul's chopping was also transported to the KHMH with minor injuries. He reportedly resisted the police arrest and then fell out of the police mobile.   He remains in the hospital receiving treatment under police guard.