Tonight, Constable Brent Longsworth is in the Western Regional Hospital in Belmopan, considered lucky to be alive after he was stabbed on Friday night.
But the story of how he got there all started on September Ninth, in San Ignacio when Constable Longsworth arrested a group of mostly teenagers who were accused of robbing a couple. The couple never pressed charges and the group of teenagers were released. But the next night, on the tenth Constable Longsworth found the same group of teens fighting with a policeman after they had robbed and beaten a couple. Again, that couple didn't press charges and the teens were released. Well, on Sunday morning at 3:30, it was their turn to run up on the Constable. Longsworth had just come off duty and was near Three Angels Club in San Ignacio buying a plate of food.
Today, speaking with us from his hospital bed, he told us he saw the young men roll up in a car.
PC Brent Longsworth, Attacked
"Two of the guys that came out the vehicle approached me. One of them had a Belikin bottle in his hands. So I stood on my guard to see what was their intention. I saw both of them continue to advance so I waited to see which one of them would attack me first and I saw the one with the pint swing the pint so I grabbed his hand. As I grabbed his hand the next one came from behind and whapped me in my head back."
Jules Vasquez,
You hadn't seen him?
PC Brent Longsworth,
"No I didn't see the one who whapped me but I got a hold of the pint bottle and when I turned to see him, that is when I felt somebody just attacked me and I that is when the person attacked me from behind and gave me the stab wounds. I have two stabs to the back and another on my left pit."
Jules Vasquez,
So they juked you three times?
PC Brent Longsworth,
"It is four stabs I get. I got one on my leg from an ice pick or probably they call it bora. When I saw they continued to advance, I went into my pants front to pretend that I had a gun and that is when they ran off. Myself and the other officer, we got into my car and drove to the police station and there is where I collapsed in front of the police station.
Jules it was terrible. I didn't believe I would survive because at one spell I couldn't even breathe. I couldn't breathe at all and then the response of the doctor was very slow, not that I am pointing fingers at them. But I think I almost died because one of my lungs had collapsed and there was no way that I could have gotten proper, my breathing was back up to normal until this happen probably around 3:30."
Jules Vasquez,
And this was in San Ignacio.
PC Brent Longsworth,
"Yes. They assisted me quick and they brought me here but when we reached here the doctor and other staff members so I had to wait until the doctor arrived and they put me on some respiratory thing to control back my breathing."
Jules Vasquez,
So how many hours did you go before seeing a doctor?
PC Brent Longsworth,
"It is like two hours, two hours and a half."
Jules Vasquez,
You are a veteran officer, a veteran cop, and you've been on the streets, you know to handle yourself, and so which stage have you reached for them to just run up on you and attack you like that?
PC Brent Longsworth,
"Jules the way I see it, these are kids with criminal intentions. Just the way they behave the night, the Tenth night, when we arrested them because they were behaving like they will kill me. I mean something had to get done and drastically too."
Jules Vasquez,
These kids attacked you like this, I would have to say that you must have really put a beating on them when you detained them.
PC Brent Longsworth,
"Jules I have to laugh for this but I am a changed officer, I am a changed officer because I have my reasons though. I am a changed officer."
Today, Cayo police charged 21-year-old Rodin Spain, charged for attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm and dangerous harm. 28-year-old Yomel Spain and 16-year-old Dillon Spain for the crime of conspiracy to commit murder. All three are expected in magistrate's court tomorrow to answer charges.
