Yesterday you heard from 18 year old Julian Canul, one of the young men who was involved in a fight in Caye Caulker that left 19 year old Kevin Depaz dead. While Canul admitted that they went to Munchies with the intention of attacking someone, he says the altercation actually started from inside the club earlier that night. He also claimed that he and his friends had no knife, and that the only weapon on the scene belonged to the off duty officer.
He spoke to Courtney Menzies yesterday evening. Here's her story.
More than a week after 19 year old Kevin Depaz was fatally stabbed, police have yet to levy any charges. A whirlwind of grief and speculation had swept through Caye Caulker following the incident. And though he's still recovering from a stab to the neck, Julian Canul, a friend of Depaz, has finally spoken out.
According to Canul, the violence began from inside Las Vibras nightclub - which led to them attacking a man outside of Munchies Fast Food.
Courtney Menzies:
"What even started this altercation? When you guys went and punched the other guy, what started that?"
Julian Canul, Stabbing Victim
"That was because he had disrespected my friend in the club and he threatened him."
Courtney Menzies:
"So this originated in the club?"
Julian Canul, Stabbing Victim
"In the club, Las Vibras, but that was way before, that's not on any tape."
"We were just supposed to go outside, have a good time and go home but the problem started because the one in black that we went to punch down, he threatened my friend and that's when it happened."
Courtney Menzies:
"They knew each other from before?"
Julian Canul, Stabbing Victim
"No, we didn't know him at all."
In the surveillance footage, after they punch the man, Depaz and Canul get back onto the golf cart and drive off, but they're followed by the two off duty police officers. Canul said he didn't recognize them at first and had no idea they were cops. He explained that that fight started when one of the officers allegedly attacked Depaz's girlfriend.
Julian Canul, Stabbing Victim
"The one in the pink shirt, he grabbed the side of the golf cart and he punched Kagan Alamina, she was on the passenger side of the golf cart. Then he dragged her off the cart after that. That's when me and my friend Kevin Depaz jumped off the cart. That's when we ended up fighting with him. He and the next off duty officer ran up behind Kevin Depaz, the one in the black shirt. That's the one that ran up behind Kevin Depaz, that's when he ended up stabbing Kevin Depaz in his stomach. Then I was fighting the one in pink and he was already stabbed by his own off duty partner that was with him."
"In the video, you could see I run behind him. I didn't know he had a knife but I saw the motion that he stabbed Kevin in his stomach that's why in the video you could see me trying to defend myself because that's just my instinct. So that's when he sliced me in my neck, my hand. That's when I backed up and noticed and that's when Kagan yelled my name and I went to help her and Kevin."
But 5 persons - including the two police officers - were stabbed in this incident. Canul said that there was only one knife being used, and it wasn't theirs.
Courtney Menzies:
"So you're saying you guys did not bring the knife, they brought the knife?"
Julian Canul, Stabbing Victim
"Yup. We didn't have any knife on us. The three that got stabbed was me, Kilo and Kevin Depaz. Kilo didn't have any knife and Kevin didn't have any knife."
Courtney Menzies:
"Both officers were stabbed though, how did that happen?"
Julian Canul, Stabbing Victim
"The one that was stabbed on his leg, his own partner stabbed him, he was swinging like he was crazy and caught him in his calf."
And since last Monday, Canul has had to come to terms with the death of his friends while recovering from several injuries. He was also being investigated by the police, but he told us there is no reason for him to be charged.
Julian Canul, Stabbing Victim
"This hurts. I don't wish this on anybody, anybody's friend, even seeing that."
Courtney Menzies:
"Are you concerned that you'll be charged?"
Julian Canul, Stabbing Victim
"I won't get charged because we didn't bring any weapons, we didn't start the whole thing, all we did was punch somebody down and drive off. if you saw in the video, we drove off, that's all we wanted to do."
But the alleged threats and the punch caught on camera set in motion a chain of events that escalated into the death of Depaz. And the question still remains - will his alleged attacker be charged with murder or was it self defense? At this point, the police are still awaiting instructions from the DPP.
Police do not accept that one knife account and believe that there were as many as 3 knives at the scene, with only one wielded by a police officer The DPP has not yet advised police what charges to bring.
