Another Chinese man was murdered this weekend. It happened in Orange Walk Town on Saturday night where 38 year old Hui Lin Chen was killed by an armed robber, becoming the second Chinese businessman to be killed in 8 days. But that’s only half the story; the other half is that police responded and got into a near deadly shootout with a group presumed to be the robbers. That left three officers injured – one of them a woman constable, the third, fourth and fifth officers to be shot by armed robbers in a week. Serious times indeed, and Jacqueline Godwin found out all about the mayhem in Orange Walk.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
Thirty eight year old Hui Lin Chen had only been in the country for eight months when he was knifed to death just around ten on Saturday night. Information is that the business owner had just closed his store for the day, Mai’s Store, and was heading towards the third floor where he resides with his wife. But as Mai passed the second floor which houses the warehouse, that is when he noticed his co-worker Hui Chen fighting with an individual only described as a dark complexioned man. The suspect was seen running away shortly after. When Mai checked on his co-worker, Chen was sitting in an upright position, his throat had been slit. The officer in charge of the Orange Walk District Superintendent Joseph Myvette says the Mai family was already inside their residence when they heard the commotion from the second floor.
Supt. Joseph Myvette, OIC Orange Walk
“According to witnesses present, sometime shortly before ten a commotion was heard on the second floor which houses a warehouse. These witnesses at the time were on the third floor of this building and two of them came down to investigate the commotion where they saw the deceased Hui Lin Chen struggling with a dark complexioned male person. One of the witnesses who is in possession of a licensed firearm hurried back to the third floor to get his weapon to come down back to the second floor during which time the suspect had already left the building by jumping into the yard. Several shots were fired at him but none caught him.”
The man fled by jumping over nearby fences. A second team of police officers namely Police Constable Jose Blanco, Woman Police Constable Melanie Anderson and Special Constable Noel Castillo were then dispatched to track him down.
Supt. Joseph Myvette,
“These officers based on information received then proceeded towards Baker’s Street where a male person was seen running towards the river side. They caught up with this person just behind the tourist information center located on the river side. At this point in time the person was already in the water.”
The police were then able to identify their main armed suspect as former Police Constable Kevin Alvarez better known as Cowboy.
Supt. Joseph Myvette,
“While in the water was spoken to by the police in order to persuade him to come out of the water. Accordingly the police spoke to him for the better part of five minutes trying to convince him to come out of the water. It was at this point that the suspect rose up out of the water with two handguns firing instantly at the police, one in his left hand and one in his right hand. This resulted in two of the officers being injured, namely WPC Melanie Anderson who received gunshots to the outer part of her right upper leg. Special constable Noel Castillo received gunshots wound to the upper left side of his abdomen and upper left arm. These officers were subsequently transported to the Northern Regional Hospital whilst the suspect made good his escape to another area.”
A third team consisting of Belize Defence Force soldiers were then dispatched and soon they too came under fire.
Supt. Joseph Myvette,
“During searches in the area of the slaughter house, PC Briceno who was ahead of the team leading the search on the right hand side of the slaughter house behind a fence, upon him coming behind the fence, he was fired upon by the suspect who was lying down in the grass. PC Briceno received three gunshots to the upper left leg and lower abdomen area. He too had to be hurriedly removed from that area and be transported to the hospital. But during the shooting with PC Briceno, the suspect was confronted where he himself received gunshot wounds, a single gunshot wound to the upper abdomen, the upper left side of his abdomen just below his ribcage. The suspect was also later transported to the Northern Regional Hospital.”
Police Constable Briceno and Special Constable Castillo are both in stable condition while their alleged shooter and main suspect Kevin Alvarez recovers under guard at the Northern Regional Hospital. Police say another person is believed to be involved.
Crispin Jefferies, Commander of Operations
“I will tell you that the Belize Defense Force on Saturday was called out, they were on standby and we had added manpower. We believe that the second suspect might have fled in a different direction and as a result of that he was not caught. But we understand that a second male person can be identified.”
Police would not discuss the specifics of the case and why they believe Kevin Alvarez is involved in the murder and shootings of the three police officers but told the media they have recovered the weapons used in both incidents including the guns Cowboy allegedly used.
Supt. Joseph Myvette,
“Yes the knife has been found. So have a number of other exhibits. We also recovered two firearms from the third scene which is a 9 milimeter Ruger pistol loaded with 9 rounds of ammunition and one expended shell. We also found a 38 revolver with four expended shells and two empty chambers. That was found right beside the suspect. I will not go into all the exhibits for you but certainly we recovered a dread cap from the scene, we recovered a cell phone, and we recovered some clothing not too far from the scene.”
Gerald Westby, Commissioner of Police
“It is sad to see when ex-policemen do occur but Kelvin Alvarez is no stranger to the law. He is better known as Cowboy and probably that is why, to look at a serious incident, I’d say probably he was acting like a cowboy with two guns out. Not to detract from the gravity of the situation but certainly it is sad to see that police men and ex-policemen are involved.”
Police say reports suggest several persons were seen casing the Mai building and that one individual wearing fake dreadlocks was seen sitting near the store just before the armed assault. Tony Lee Chairman of the Chinese community in the Orange Walk District says they are in mourning and determined to help bring end to the attacks especially against their business establishments.
Tony Lee,
“Well we have support from all the other districts and first of all we will do everything we could to satisfy the family and try and make all proper funeral arrangements.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
This is a three storey building. Looking from outside you can’t help but ask how could this individual manage to have access to the building?
Tony Lee,
“Well neighbours, as I said, we asked some neighbours around and they said that this was planned. Some neighbours saw these strangers observing the area for a few days but they neglect the fact they we didn’t have no indications that this guy would be a criminal because Orange Walk is a very peaceful and vulnerable district and community. So we neglected the fact that these people had that criminal intention.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
So the family normally left the side gate open?
Tony Lee,
“The gate sometimes would be open but most of the time the gate is not locked so they have free access to go to the second floor which is where the warehouse is situated so they could easy access to the goods back to the store.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
This murder comes on the heels of yet another Chinese businessman who was killed in Belize City. What is the association planning on doing to again raise the awareness and in some way help authorities to bring an end to the senseless crimes?
Tony Lee,
“We will have a meeting with the business association and we’ll have a meeting with the Mayor and then we’ll discuss further issues. But one of the issues the Orange Walkenos or the Belizeans bring up is to impose the death sentence because if the criminal behaviour continues like this, the only way we think we can stop this crime is to give some heavier penalties in bringing back the death sentence so these criminals would be aware that if you do something wrong or take somebody’s life, the law will deal with you in a harsh manner.”
The senseless attack has also left those who knew the Mai family in shock.
Resident #1,
“The rate of crime the raise up and everything so the government has to find a way to make this stop because it is getting too far now. That is the way how I look at it.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
How about you sir, you’re chilling out here, everyday you are sitting in this chair right by where a horrible incident occurred over the weekend. How this makes you feel?
Resident #2,
“Really makes us feel bad because we are hearing these crimes happening in Belize City, not in Orange Walk and for something like this happen in Orange Walk and the people we know them very good and they are some nice people, they don’t really, to make something like that happen we really feel bad about it and we just hope that justice be served.”
Resident #1,
“It is good in the sense that the government realizes that if it has the policemen properly armed and more accurate on the street because apparently they are not doing the government work, they are doing their own personal work. That is the way I look at it.”
Present at the police press briefing were the mother and sister of Kevin Alvarez. Lisa Alvarez who did not wish to appear on camera says all she wants is the right to see her brother.
Jacqueline Godwin,
You were present this morning at the police press briefing and it is the first time you heard details of what exactly went down, even the fact that your brother was in the water and he came up with two guns firing at the cops. How disturbed were you when you heard that?
Voice of Lisa Alvarez, Sister of Kevin Alvarez
“Honestly it pains my heart to hear it but like I said, whatever he is accused of, we have a justice system in Belize, a justice system that I believe will take its course. Regardless of the fact that they are accusing him of these things, like I said he is innocent until he is proven guilty. We need to know that he is physically okay.”
It is the first time in the history of law enforcement in Belize that so many police officers in the line of duty have been injured in one incident. Today Police Commissioner Gerald Westby said it is not a knee jerk reaction to what unfolded here in Orange Walk Town but it is time that they get more aggressive when confronting these situations.
Gerald Westby,
“From memory this is the first time that we have had so many officers injured in the line of duty and certainly being more equipped could have helped them indeed. We must acknowledge that and we must work at it.”
Crispin Jeffries,
“As we speak, added bullet proof vests will be deployed to the Orange Walk, Belize and the Cayo Districts.”
In keeping with the Chinese tradition the body of thirty eight year old Hui Lin Chen will be cremated and then his ashes will be transported back to China where his wife and children reside. Reporting for 7News Jacqueline Godwin.
As regards Kevin Cowboy Alvarez, police flatly refuse to publicly link him to the robbery/murder but the Commissioner of Police did say that he got one of his injuries when he was scaling a fence. Of course, only the escaping robbers needed to scale the fence, but the Commissioner flatly refused to discuss the possibility that Alvarez was involved in the killing. Alvarez and his two brothers were charged for the murder of 32 year old Albert Pennill in January of 2003. But he was freed in April of 2004 when the DPP’s office entered a nolle pros. He remains under guard at the Orange Walk Police Station, pending charges.
