Were the police justified in using deadly force at the Tower Hill Factory on Monday afternoon? That’s the questions so many Belizeans have been asking. You’ve seen the evidence, a massive cane truck barrelling straight towards the police and live rounds were used to try and repel it. Many we’ve spoken to argue that in that situation the use of deadly force is justifiable. That is arguable....but did it even have to get to that point. That fact is that it did because police were focussing on the Tower Hill Bridge and while they had a presence at the BSI Factory: 23 officers to cover such a large area with so many routes of entry and exit seems hardly enough. More than that, at that point tension was already high and trigger finders were already itchy because a mob had already set a Ministry of Works truck on fire.
Jules Vasquez Reporting,
The police had guns on the ready including automatic weapons when they responded to a vehicle on fire on the San Estevan Road. As the horn of the burning truck sounded, Police Superintendent Gualberto Garcia shook his head wearily knowing there was nothing he could do. The guns were trained on the bushes where police expected to find those who set the fire. They moved to intercept one man who
came out of the bushes. The Fire Department put out the blaze at about 3:30.
And about half an hour earlier back at the Tower Hill Bridge, the stones were being collected and Commander of Operations, Crispin Jeffries was moving into position.
Crispin Jeffries, Commander of Operations
“You have one hour. I will clear the bridge.”
But despite Jeffries warnings the defiant farmers were positioning their trucks to more effectively block the bridge and while Jeffries warned them it was to no avail, the Senior Superintendent was left to snap pictures for evidence. Still, the farmers were at an advantage; the police were boxed in and at 3:20, the first stones were thrown at the plain clothed Sr. Superintendent Noel Leal. The stoning stopped when Cane Farmer attorneys Hubert Elrington and Mike Peyrefitte arrived – Jeffries discussed the options with all parties including Carlos Magana who by this point was wearing a bullet proof vest.
But the mob had its own momentum and when news came that some of the farmers had been detained while trying to attack core sampler everyone started heading
in the other direction, north towards the BSI factory which is about two miles away. It was a stampede of runners and those going in vehicles.
The first trucks pulled up at the factory with stones being hurled at police – to which they responded with fire –and from there all hell broke loose – the rushing to the cane factory was on. And it ended in the shooting of Anastascio Gutierrez – whose body was collected from the side of the road and put into the back of a truck. Those on the scene told us that he was
shot inside the truck which was bullet riddled and was blood soaked in the bed area. But police aren’t so sure.
Gerald Westby, Commissioner of Police
“It is not clear where he may have got shot.”
Jules Vasquez,
He was shot by a member of the armed forces?
Gerald Westby,
“Well that is a possibility but we are not saying conclusively at this time. Let us enquire first and then we can conclusively say so. We are not in anyway disowning if that had occurred but not at this time to conclusively say so.”
But what police have to own up to is that they weren’t in proper position to stop a stampeded unto the BSI factory – which had already seen a flare-up on Saturday. The command was concentrated at mile 48, south of Tower Hill and the attack happened at the BSI factory which is two miles north of Tower Hill, with the majority of police backed in way behind.
Gerald Westby,
“Majority of the forces came up to mile 46 and the primary objective
was to take the toll bridge first and foremost and thereafter advance and move the crowd.”
But the police didn’t control things, the crowd did, and when they dashed north, the 23 officers left to guard the spr4awling BSI were overwhelmed.
Gerald Westby,
“The protestors suddenly, a hundred of them suddenly left from the toll bridge and converged aggressively, as Mr. Myvett rightfully said, to the protestors at the factory.”
And the chaos that ensued led to the use of live rounds:
Gerald Westby,
“The police came under aggressive and they feared for their lives. It was judgement call and we made a call out there yesterday. I personally spoke to one of the Corporals before I came to this press conference and he was saying, ‘Commisioner,’ I could see it in his eyes, ‘Commisioner I thought that I would not be here to speak to you today.’”
And while the police yesterday said that they were unclear as to whether Anastasio Gutierrez had been shot inside the truck, they today issued an official release saying that the cane truck was driven by 46 year old Jose Luis Salazar of Paraiso Village. It adds that police opened fire on the truck and one of the bullets penetrated the front and rear windshield hitting one Anastasio Gutierrez in the head.
