We turn now to a much more complicated police scenario in the Corozal District. We're referring to last week Thursday night's wild shooting in the country's northernmost village of Chan Chen. At least 22 shots from high powered assault rifles penetrated the homes of Hall brothers - which are in the same yard in that village.
Despite the spray from high powered weaponry, miraculously no one was killed but Sergio Hall was shot to the shoulder.
It's one more round of retaliation in northern narco wars that have been playing out from Libertad to Chan Chen since early June.
We asked the Commissioner about their inability to secure the homes of known targets:
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"We do have our presence still in that area with our operation teams doing what needs to be done to prevent these things from occurring, but again, like I said there is no police work that is going to be full proof to avoid these things from occurring. But I think that all in all the police work in the area has been extremely good to the extent that we have seen the spate of shooting decrease tremendously."
Jules Vasquez
"Sir, how can you say this when a house was riddled with 22 shots from an AR-15 and a M4 Carbine? You know the types of rounds used. There are consistent with the ones use at Usher house. The man lives in Chan Chen. Hall is a known target. How is it that this happens that some much lead entered the man house and you all aren't anywhere to prevent it?"
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"I can say it, Jules, based on what you would refer to as imperical data. You are a person who love data when it's convenient to you. When it is not convenient to you then you try to throw it through the window. But if you listen carefully to what I said, that spate. I didn't say that police effort in the area have stopped it. But certainly, we would have seen earlier on that the shootings were more consistent."
"Now, that is not the case and again, we are not providing individual security for these people. We provide general security for the public."
Jules Vasquez
"But you know that the Hall's in Chan Chen are known targets, sir."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"That does not mean that the police must go and mind the Hall's house. Then if that is the case..."
Jules Vasquez
"But you all are doing it on so many blocks in Belize City."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"No, Jules."
Jules Vasquez
"You have 3 checkpoints around Victoria Street. Between the Curtis Usher house, his brother's house, then the Hall house. We see a clear pattern that assault rifles are being used with high powered ammunition and we know the rivalries there. I'm saying that you are saying that "well its not happening night after night." But what you saw it as incremental improvement is still a district living in terror in the grips of narcos. The state has had to approve an additional supplementary allocation and you all are still unable to at least stop the leading up of an known target's house."
"Just have a checkpoint at Chan Chen. How hard can it be?"
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Again, Mr. Vasquez, do you know what is a spate? What is a spate?"
Jules Vasquez
"Sir, it's a difference without distinction. That's what I'm saying. That you are sighting a difference between night after night. But I'm saying there is no distinction for the average citizen who feels terrorized."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Jules, if something happens everyday and then after a while it begins to happen once a week. Isn't that a reduction? isn't that an indication that the consistency with which it was occurring has changed? I don't expect that the police will be able to stop all crimes, but certainly the efforts of the police in the area have minimized the occurrences of these incidents and I think that the society, the public in the Corozal District are very much appreciative of that."
No arrests have been made for the Hall shooting.
