Security Guard Catches Thieves In The Act, Kills One Injures Other
Tonight, a 29 year old man is dead and his 52 year old uncle is in the hospital recovering form gunshot wounds.
But, police say they are not the victims of a crime: they are allegedly the perpetrators of a robbery - caught in the act and shot by a security guard.
The guards say that they tried to stop them, but instead, these men chose to attack. Daniel Ortiz found out more in Belmopan today:
Daniel Ortiz Reporting
29 year-old Wellington Welcome Hemsley Jr., a resident Tea Kettle Village was killed at around 2:30 a.m. today, after he and his uncle, 53 year-old Gilroy Welcome Sr., allegedly tried to burglarize a property at Mile 30 on the George Price Highway.
Police say that both men traveled over 20 miles try steal from the a storage container belonging Absentee American owner, Steve Usrey.
But, they were shot by the security guards of the establishment, Cheers.
Both men were caught on a security camera on the house, which was connected to the Cheers surveillance system in a symbiotic relationship between both proprietors.
Supt. Alvan Gentle - OC, Belmopan Police
"Sometime this morning at around 2:30 a.m. as you mentioned, Belmopan police were called out to an area between miles 30 and 31, known as Cheers. Upon arrival, they saw the apparent lifeless body of a creole decent person who was later identified as one Wellington Hemsley. There was another guy who had some injuries with a surname, Welcome. The security guards there at this establishment reported to police that the security camera had picked up these 2 men trying to break into a warehouse in the area where certain items were taken out."
Those security guards, armed with licensed weapons, went to the area to try to stop the men, and that's when a struggle between the guards and the burglars took place.
Supt. Alvan Gentle
"The first security guard was approached by the guy, Welcome, and in a scuffle, Mr. Welcome suffered an injury to his arm from the security guard's firearm. The second security guard intervened, and he was accosted by Mr. Wellington Hemsley with a machete advancing, according to him, in a threatening manner, where he fired a warning shot in the air. This still did not deter Mr. Hemsley, still approaching him. A second shot was fired which caught him somewhere in the rib area. This shot proved to be fatal, and police found the motionless body of Hemsley on the scene. The body, as well as Mr. Welcome, they were escorted to the Western Regional Hospital, where Mr. Hemsley was pronounced dead on arrival. Mr. Welcome was later transported to Belize City, in order to receive medical attention."
Although one of the security guards fatally wounded Hemsley, neither of the guards are being detained at this time.
Supt. Alvan Gentle
"I must say that these people - this morning they were here, and the police officers were recording statements from them. I don't know for sure whether that is true - if they were finished with that - but if they are, then these men are free to leave from here. In fact, they are assisting the police in this investigation at this moment."
As for the alleged burglars, police say that they are well acquainted with these men.
Supt. Alvan Gentle
"What I can say is that there have been previous times that the police had to deal with these men."
Duane Moody - Channel 5 News
"Both of them?"
Supt. Alvan Gentle
"Yes, both of them."
But no matter what Hemsley is being accused of, his grieving brother says that his family loves him.
Voice of: Brother of Deceased
"Everybody knows him as 'Lion'. He was a musician from Tea Kettle. He was somebody who was okay. I mean, he is my brother, and I love him."
According to police, the information that they've gathered so far will be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions, who will then advise them on how to proceed with the case.
Channel 7
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