Benque Police fatally shot a drug suspect in his head and the department says the shooting was justified. The deceased is 24-year-old Arenal Villager Eli Isael Sanchez. Benque police say that around 6 yesterday they were on an anti-drug operation in the Macaw Bank area which is just about 8 miles out of Benque when they saw Sanchez carrying a large sack and holding a machete. They approached him and ordered him to stop so they could search his sack. He didn't and instead they claim he advanced towards them with the machete. Police say the officers fired several warning shots. Sanchez allegedly continued to advance and that was when an officer shot him. The single gunshot hit the 24 year old on the right side of his head and he died on the spot.
The patrol team claims they found 18 pounds of marijuana in the sack that Sanchez was carrying. Police believe the Arenal villager was taking the marijuana to sell either in Belize City or up north. They add that the area he was found in is the choice route for drug harvesters. Police aren't releasing name of the officer who pulled the trigger and he is still on duty.
