Right now, there is civil unrest taking place in different parts of the US. That's because of the apparent excessive use of force that a white police officer from Minneapolis, Minnesota used against George Floyd, an unarmed black man.
Floyd passed away on Monday after the cop used his knee to pin Floyd's neck on the ground. He is heard on video recordings pleading with the officer that he was unable to breathe. That officer has since been charged with third-degree murder, but the collective community rage against the police led to a riot last night in Minnesota. Protestors gained access to the Minneapolis third precinct police building and lit it on fire.
Here in Belize, allegations of police brutality and excessive use of force have sort of become a regular occurrence, and tonight, another civilian is accusing Belize police abusing him.
He's Gasman Henry Young Jr, and he claims that earlier this week, he was assaulted by police in Orange Street because he refused to allow them to photograph him. He claims that he came to the city on Tuesday morning to get some documents signed, and after he parked his vehicle, he encountered some police officers in the George Street area. He claims that the officers took a sudden interest in him, and demanded to photograph him, which he adamantly refused.
He said that's where a police officer sucker-punched him in the face, and he responded reflexively with a punch of his own. The disagreement then quickly devolved into alleged acts of police brutality.
Here's how he and his attorney explained it to us this evening:
As you heard, police have withdrawn the assaulting a police officer charge against Young. He and his attorney intend to take criminal and civil action against the officer for his assault and his injuries.
Charges For PG Youths In Gangster Video
Last night we showed you the young men form Toledo brandishing toy guns but making real threats to other rival groups.
Well, the cops took their toys away, but they also charged them,
19 year old Gustavo Mendez from the Joe Taylor Creek Area of Punta Gorda Town and a 17 year old associate have been charged for "Participating in a video recording to promote gang related activity."
Threesome of Suspects In Double Murder
Since last week Friday, we've been reporting on a double murder in Hopkins that left two men, 55 year old Belizean dive master Quintin Espinosa and 70 year old American farmer Wayne Burley dead with shots to the head.
The men were neighbors, and were killed within minutes of each other last Friday morning.
Today, police said three men stand to face murder charges.
ACP Joseph Myvett
"Police have detained several persons at this time we have three persons in our custody a number of items were recovered during the course of the investigation and at this point certain things need to be done in relation to the investigation which if they or when they are done and the results prove what we want them to prove then several persons are expected to charged for murder."
Police say items had been stolen from Burley's house.
Still No Driver in Fatal Hit And Run
Police today also had an update on Rodolph Rodriguez - the man who was knocked down and killed in a hit and run accident on the old Northern Road last Saturday.
But, police seem to have a hard time finding the driver - even though they told us on Monday that the vehicle had been impounded:
ACP Joseph Myvett
"It would have been Saturday, sometime late Saturday night. Police received a report that a male person was walking on the old northern highway near the junction when he was apparently knocked or hit from behind by a vehicle those persons or family members from Sandhill then picked him up where he was transferred to the KHMH no report was made to the police at that point in time so it’s based on the bits and pieces and after he arrived with those injuries then police commenced an investigation and during that investigation, a vehicle fitting the description has since been impounded and we know that the police was seeking one person in relation to this investigation who relies on the old highway as well. I do not or I cannot confirm at this point in time whether or not that person has already been or is in custody."
The family of the deceased fears police may be covering up for the driver encase they suspect he has connections.
Family Claims Skeletal Remains, Cops Not Sure
Police may be picking up pieces in Rodriguez's hit and run but when it comes to a recently unearthed Sandhill village cold case, they may have dropped the ball completely.
That's certainly the perception of the Seguro family who through their own sleuthing believe that the Sandhill skeletal remains are those of their father and husband who went missing over a year ago.
ACP Joseph Myvett
"Sometime yesterday afternoon villagers alerted police to skeletal remains somewhere in the vicinity of a bus stop I believe sandhill village it is, as a result police proceeded to the area where it was only bones that were observed and based on certain peculiarities of those bones some members of Mr. Seguros' family who had gone missing, I believe about a year ago, visited the area and are of the belief that the remains may be that of Mr. Seguro however in order to confirm that DNA tests would have to be done on those bones. So at this point in time, we cannot say for certain that those bones belong to Mr. Seguro."
Policing In a Pandemic
There's a perception that as SOE measures are relaxed, crime is making its comeback. But the commissioner has his own spin. He's claiming that recent crimes are of a slightly different nature and he gave examples of how they can be deemed in his words "Non-preventables."
Food Assistance to 40k
As you heard earlier in the news, government will likely need to re-open the unemployment relief program because a new wave of layoffs in the tourism sector are just starting to kick in. That's after word came down that the airport will not be opened up for July first. So far, 43,726 persons have been approved out of 80,000 plus applicants.
Today, the Prime Minister gave an update on the other relief program for direct food assistance:
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"Regarding the Food Assistance Program, these are the numbers: 46,686 households have been helped and now the on-the-ground assessment has been completed in 38 rural villages in Toledo, Cayo, and Orange Walk. Those people are beginning at this point to be helped."
And for those 3,000 approved applicants for the unemployment relief program, due to errors with banking information - there's an alternative.
They're being advised that they should consider using a top-up debit card, which is available through the Heritage Bank.
Fuel Price Up And Down
There's good news and bad news for vehicle owners tonight. We'll give you the good news first. The price of Diesel will decrease by 61 cents from $7.89 to $7.28 per gallon.
AND, THE BAD NEWS, Regular fuel is going up and will increase by 46 cents from $ 7.62 to $8.08 per gallon.
Changes take effect at midnight.
Heavy Weather Rolling In
And finally, tonight, as we told you last night, there's some heavy weather coming into the Central American region this weekend - and Belize will not be spared. Right in time for the start of the hurricane season, it's a tropical disturbance, and we got the forecast from the weather bureau:
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