And, pretty soon, 7 more escapees will be going to court. They include those caught between last night and this afternoon.
The two caught last night are 24 year old Orlando Smith from Roaring Creek Village, and 20 year old Kenroy Gamboa from Belize City.
And then this morning, 22-year-old Deon White from Belize City was caught.
And, most recently, this afternoon: alleged ringleader 30-year-old Joel Sierra from Santa Elena, Cayo, 27 year old Phillip Bowen of Hopkins Village, 30 year old Daren Vasquez of Teakettle Village, 20 year old DeAndre Guiffaro of Seine Bite Village, and 20 year old Victor Galeano of Cristo Rey Village.
This morning - before those last 5 were caught - we spoke to the Commissioner about those who have been recaptured and the 14 dangerous and desperate men who remain at large:
Chester Williams - Commissioner of Police
"We continue our manhunt in respect to the prison break, and so far we have recaptured a total of 9 of the escapees leaving a total of 19 who are still at large, of the 9 who have been recaptured one of those individual's, Akeem Tillett was shot and killed during the manhunt in the coastal road area. The others have been charged by the police for escape and will be arraigned in court today."
And while 7 were taken to court one was not. That's Deon White, the escapee who was caught just this morning, his sister explained what happened when she saw him.
Jules Vasquez
"So, what was your physical reaction when you see the news this morning that Deon White has been safely captured and he has the picture with his hands up?"
Deidra Avila - Deon White's sister
"Well I felt so good the eye water even drop and everything because I gone sleep and said I hope they find my brother, I wish I could even see the news that how, I just felt so happy man, I feel good now and I hope they find the rest safe and everything. This morning they called me for me to go to jail. My mother and I went well. Well, I'm glad how we got to talk to him. I was so happy to see him because it had been months since we'd seen him but the only thing, I'm disappointed about that hurts my heart is that they beat him up so bad that it made me even cry."
Jules Vasquez
"Might it have been injuries that he got while on the run because you know they were in the bush and so too?"
Deidra Avila
"But he said he didn't run from them, when he saw them he was drinking water and when they were coming he just put up his hands. He said they stood on his ears and his toenail came off. His hands were bruised up foot. I just can't even talk I just cried I don't like seeing him in pain."
Jules Vasquez
"You said that it's a bad move he made because he was on remand and you felt he would have gotten off and he made the situation worse for himself. Why he get eena this breakout?"
Deidra Avila
"That's the same thing I want to know, even if you see somebody running. I wouldn't have ran because I would make worse on myself. Like I said, you never know why the run, so I can't judge and say he run. Even if you force them and thing but I still don't now I don't think any of them would want to run again because he done see what happen to him now, how they beat him bad, so I don't think he would want run again. I don't think anyone would want to run again."
5 more learned that lesson well: Phillip Bowen, Deandre Guiffaro, Darren Vasquez, Victor Galeano, and alleged ringleader Joel Sierra were caught at the Mile 25 community this afternoon: hiding in A Taiwanese resident's lawn.
So that leaves 14 escapees who remain on the run, the commissioner says he considers them to be armed and dangerous, and he hasn't ruled out the possibility that they've acquired even more weapons.
Cherisse Halsall
"Sir we have information that the BDF Lance Corporal was shot with a shotgun do those escapees still currently have that shotgun in their possession?"
Chester Williams
"We have only recovered the M4 Carbine, we have not recovered any other weapon from them so if that is the case then yes, they would still have it. Of course, a man on the run from the long arm of the law will surely try his utmost best to arm himself so that he can ward off and defend himself from the security forces and so like I said before we expect that they are armed and dangerous."
