BELIZE CENTRAL PRISON, HATTIEVILLE, Belize District, Thurs. May 2, 2019– Kevin Moore, a 19-year-old inmate of the Belize Central Prison, had scaled the perimeter fence at the prison in his bid for freedom when the prison guards in the lookout tower shot his two legs and thwarted his escape. Moore was immediately recaptured and taken to the medical facility of the prison for initial treatment, after which he was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) for further treatment because he was bleeding profusely from his wounds, but he died from excessive blood loss before doctors at the KHMH could save him.

The incident occurred at about 10:30 Tuesday morning at the Belize Central Prison. Police said that Moore, who was on remand for aggravated assault, was released into the Tango (6) compound about 9:00 a.m., for recreation. Moore later ran to the back of Tango 6 and scaled the fence, after which he ran towards the main prison fence, which he likewise scaled, and ran towards the bushes.

The Chief Executive Officer at the Belize Central Prison, Virgilio Murillo, said that when inmates escape on foot, the guards try to incapacitate them by firing at their feet, legs, or thighs to discourage the escape attempt.

Murillo said that Moore was mentally challenged and was being held in a low- risk area where he was being treated. He said that he is truly sorry about the death, but that is a risk prisoners take when they try to escape from prison. Police investigations into this incident are ongoing.