And from COVID to crime, a family is in distress after two officers attached to the GI3 unit barged into their yard and shot the unarmed patriarch of their family. 67-year-old Lionel Arnold Sr may have survived, but that won't stop the family from taking legal action. The officer is taking heat from both sides, since the Professional Standards Branch has already launched their own investigation as well. Courtney Menzies has this report.
A 67-year-old man is lucky to be alive after he was shot by a member of the GI3 unit, formerly known as GSU. The family of Lionel Arnold Sr is now outraged because they say police had no reason to be in their yard, much less to use excessive force.
According to the victim's daughter, it started when police attempted to search a man outside the gate. When the officers saw her nephew with a mask that covered his entire face, they became suspicious and barged into the yard. After searching her nephew, they then targeted her son, and that's when chaos erupted.
Voice of: Daughter of Victim
"While following my son, he told me son like, you want I take you to station? And he said, take me to station for what? The police said, you're resisting arrest, and my son said, resist arrest for what? When I don't even know what I will get arrested for. Then same time my brother was going upstairs and my son yelled for my father and while he coming downstairs, they actually grabbed my little brother and my little brother like haul his hand from the officer and said you can't take my nephew if you have no charge for him because he's not doing anything and he's in his yard. After that the officers grabbed my little brother, punched him in his face, my dad stand where the bike is, my dad stand right there, not even move. When the officer punch my brother two different time and my brother said, you see you punch me for nothing in my own yard, what you punch me for? And apparently they had an attack between my brother and the officer and he then just haul out his gun and shoot where my dad was standing."
Arnold was caught in the thigh, and while he will be discharged today, his daughter told us that, according to the doctor, the shooting could have been much worse if the bullet had travelled further upwards. Still, Arnold won't be able to move around the way he used to.
Voice of: Daughter of Victim
"My dad is the breadwinner for his family and now he will sit down and wait until he could go ride his bicycle, go to market, do what he has to do for his family. I mean the officer should have thought before he did what he did because nobody in the yard is a part of any gang."
According to the victim's daughter, they are always willing to work with the police, but now they are looking to press charges against the officers.
The Professional Standards Branch is also investigating the matter and, according to the OC, charges will be levied if the evidence points to excessive force.
Sr. Supt. Dwayne Sutherland, OC, Professional Standard Branch
"Police were conducting patrol at the corner of Lakeview and Banak Streets, Belize City. The police's attention was drawn to 2 persons. As a result, the police exited their vehicles and conducted a search. During the process of the search, a struggle ensued between the gentleman that they were searching, who learned to be Lionel Arnold Jr. Eventually, his father, who is Lionel Arnold Sr., came and he also intervened. During the struggle, a single shot was fired, by one of the officers, which injured Mr. Lionel Arnold Sr. in the right thigh. He was taken to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital for treatment."
Reporter:
"Why is it that an officer of a paramilitary unit would draw his weapon and shoot a gentleman who is in his sixties?"
Sr. Supt. Dwayne Sutherland
"Well, as I said, there was a struggle. We're still investigating the matter. We're yet to get a formal statement from both Mr. Lionel Arnold Junior and Senior and the conclusion of our investigation we will then decide how we will proceed with the matter, based on the evidence that we gather."
Up to this morning, the victim's daughter said that the PSB had yet to get their side of the story.
Arnold was rushed to the hospital by his son as, according to his daughter, the police refused to assist with medical attention.
