BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Mar. 4, 2021– Police officers came under attack in the line of duty on Sunday night in the area known as “Jungle” on the northside of Belize City. The officers were reportedly in pursuit of a suspicious person in a vehicle and followed that person onto Pickstock Street, where they were able to pull the driver over. Before they could conduct their search properly, however, the residents in the area apparently became hostile and began to throw projectiles at the officers.

In an effort to deter the residents from further acts of hostility, the officers were forced to fire warning shots with rubber bullets. As a result, two persons, one a young male in his twenties and the other an eleven-year-old girl, were hurt as the bullets ricocheted. The young male was then transported by the Crimes Investigation Branch (CIB) to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital for medical attention. The minor, however, was not taken for treatment.

On Monday, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams described what transpired to the media.

“The police in Belize City reported that they stopped a vehicle and upon doing so and they were approaching the vehicle when the driver of the vehicle sped off. He was pursued and eventually caught by the police. When he was caught in the area of Pickstock, as the police approached to try and conduct a search of the vehicle, a mob descended on the police and that forced the police officers to discharge some warning shots with rubber bullets, and apparently the rubber bullets ricocheted and bounced back and hit two persons,” Williams explained.  

“They were taken to the hospital and they were treated and released, because the injuries were minor. The police are working to identify those persons who are involved, and yes, charges will be brought against some of them,” Williams said.