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Micah Goodin caught up in firefight

HeadlineMicah Goodin caught up in firefight

This weekend, police reported on a Saturday night shooting incident involving the Deputy Mayor of Belize City, Micah Goodin, that resulted in one person being grazed on the neck. While Goodin was not identified as the triggerman, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams has said that the Police Department is looking for any possible grounds on which to revoke the gun licenses of Goodin and the other license holders said to be involved—all of whom are reportedly employees of the Belize City Council. 

According to police, the altercation took place sometime after midnight on Saturday, May 14, when two groups of friends socializing at Thirsty’s restaurant and bar in Belize City got into a quarrel. 

“The police investigation reveals that there may have been some altercation or misunderstanding between two groups of persons who were socializing at this establishment, and during the event, Micah Goodin may have intervened to quell the dispute between the parties and he got into his vehicle along with two other persons and drove off. While driving off, one of the occupants of Micah Goodin’s vehicle fired several shots, and one of the persons with whom they had the misunderstanding returned fire toward Micah Goodin’s vehicle, causing four bullet holes and one person who was inside the vehicle got a bullet graze to the neck,” Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams told reporters. 

According to police, the person whose neck was grazed, identified as Tae Medina, was taken to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH), treated, and released. The COMPOL further noted that the three persons detained for this incident are all employed at the Belize City Council. 

“Police have since detained Micah GoodinTarique James, and Kenyon Tillett. Tillett is a traffic warden, Tarique James is an employee at the Belize City Council, and as you have rightly said, Micah Goodin, is the Belize City Council’s Deputy Mayor. They were detained for the investigation of that particular incident..,” stated Commissioner Williams. 

Since then, police have charged Kenyon Tillett with the offenses of discharging a firearm in public, two counts of aggravated assault, and one count of wounding. Tarique James, the person believed to be the shooter who fired bullets from the back seat of Goodin’s vehicle, was charged with discharging a firearm in public. Deputy Mayor Goodin was detained for 36 hours before being released. 

Police have confiscated the firearms from all three license holders in order to carry out ballistic testing to ascertain whether all weapons were used.

“I have since directed the police to take away all firearms from the three individuals who are in possession of licensed firearms. The firearms will be sent to the forensic lab for ballistic purposes, as we still need to ascertain if all three guns were fired or only two were fired. I have also directed OC CIA to submit to my office a report on the incident, and I am going to write all three license holders to show reasons why their firearms licenses should not be revoked. I want to say this, every licensed firearm holder must bear in mind that having a firearm license is a privilege, and it comes with heavy responsibility,” COMPOL Williams said. 

He reminded the public that going to an establishment and drinking with a firearm in one’s possession is an offense. 

“If it is that there is any evidence to suggest that these persons were consuming alcohol and had their weapons on them, that should be sufficient grounds to have their licenses revoked, and once that is the case, I certainly will ensure that their licenses are revoked,” COMPOL Williams said. 

The two individuals charged are to be arraigned today, and according to the police, even if the parties decide to withdraw charges against each other, the matter of publicly discharging their firearms will be a complaint from police. 

“When it comes to the discharging firearm in public, that’s a matter for the police; they cannot withdraw that complain,” COMPOL Williams said. 

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