On Friday night, our headline was about the GSU's raid on the Menjivar home on the outskirts of Belmopan. The head of the GSU ASP Mark Vidal made no apologies about spraying the home with what he called suppressing fire, because the unit had been fired on first.
Today the family had a very different account. We couldn't speak with Mike Menjivar, his wife Iliana Chacon or the maid Rumilda Perez because they were all in court, facing charges.
We did speak to a brother in law who let us see inside the house - which was covered in bullet holes - here's what we saw that made us wonder how no one - including the 3 children were hurt in the early morning raid:
Jules Vasquez Reporting
The GSU jumped this fence and shortly after the firefight started all the windows on the outside of the house are all shattered the trajectory of some of the bullets plain to see. The windows in the master bedroom at the Menjivar household are shattered - burglar bars are no restraint for bullets the door to that master bedroom is also bullet marked. The room itself shows bullet marks above the king size bed and the walls of the master bedroom are pocked with bullet holes.
This is the spot where police say they subdued Menjivar on his way to the police station. This is the walk in closet where the family says they hid from the hail of bullets. This the safe police found nineteen thousand US dollars. Teddy bears are on the bed in his daughter's room - but gunshots impression are on the wall - jarring…. and equally so here at the smashed bay window where a Barbie dollar lies right next to the bullet shattered window.
The entrance area is majestic but again marred by bullet holes. This is 33 of the 41 bullet marks found from police.
A number of them in the living room - where they say two children ages 11 and 13 scurried across for cover - went to their father's room - and then scurried back to hide in this appliance room.
The French doors at the back of the house are also covered in bullet marks, even this ornamental was not spared. They have left the house in a state of chaos so that the media and the ombudsman can see it
Jose Chacon, Brother in Law
"I went over there on Thursday afternoon and I had a quick talk with my Mike, I had just return from Guatemala from some doctors' appointments and other medical attention. It's hard to imagine that the following day something like this would have happen - it changes the whole perspective of life overnight basically and it's really something that once you are in it - you wonder all kinds of stuff."
Jules Vasquez
"From the account of the family - you've heard Mr. Vidal's account of what happen. What is the family's account of what happen between 4 and 5am on Friday morning?"
Jose Chacon, Brother in Law
"Well I know that there is record that my sister upon acknowledging that they were under fire - they had no idea who it was. She call the police, she call 822-2222 and there is a record of that and she was pleading for assistance because they thought that they were being rob. "
Jules Vasquez
"They thought that there was criminals in their home, an arm home invasion."
Jose Chacon, Brother in Law
"Yes, because none of the vehicles that were used were police official vehicles or they had any lights (Siren) or what so ever so there was no clear indication to them that it was police."
Jules Vasquez
"Mr. Vidal said they verbally identify themselves as police and that they also had on these uniforms where they could see GSU on the back."
Jose Chacon, Brother in Law
"Well first of all you are invited to come to the house. One of the front lights from the house was shot, that's why the light could not come on. I can't tell you what they saw or what they didn't see but given the circumstance that they were on the phone with the Belmopan Police Station for about 1 minute and 40 seconds reporting that they were possibly being rob and that there was gunfire. I don't think that they would have reacted in such manner as in self-defense or shooting back knowing that it was the police. There was nothing found in the house so there was no justification to say that they were firing first because they were hiding anything."
Jules Vasquez
"The police are claiming that Menjivar fired first and they only return fire."
Jose Chacon, Brother in Law
"What we understand - Mike's brother was captured upon his knowledge being alerted by the security that there were people surrounding the house and he went there with one of my cousins, they were captured by the police and they were beaten up right there and left there is the sun for about 6 hours. The police have not yet entered the premises yet so they heard everything that happens. They laid there on the ground and they heard when the shots were fired at the dogs and then they proceeded to enter the yard and then into the residence. This is not the way you carry out a raid. They could have found a better way of doing; I think they took the wrong approach. If they indeed have a search warrant - it has never been presented to my family nor to the attorney as yet. To my knowledge once there is claim that there is a report of possible drugs or firearms they don't really need a warrant, so it can explain itself but I think there was a wrong process followed carrying out their job, that my stance and that's my family stance."
According to head of the GSU, ASP Vidal, The Police Scenes of crime team found that 41 shots had been fired from out to in by police and that there were 11 shots fired from in to out from various positions in the house. They also found nineteen thousand dollars that had been initially mis-reported to us on Friday night as nineteen hundred dollars.
Today Menjivar was taken to the income tax department to have that figure assessed. After that he was taken to prison in remand.
Today in Belmopan Magistrate's court, 34 year old Miguel Menjivar, his wife 29 year old Iliana Chacon and the maid 41 year old Rumilda Perez were arraigned on multiple charges after being detained over the long weekend. The charges are nine counts of attempted murder, 9 counts of aggravated assault and one count of damage to property for the GSU vehicle which had its back tire shot out.
They were remanded to prison with the matter adjourned for June 22nd. They were represented by attorney Arthur Saldivar with Lisa Shoman and Simeon Sampson also appearing.
