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Joined: Oct 1999
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Marty Offline OP
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San Pedro police are have launched an investigation into a shooting at the northern end of Ambergris Caye which left a man from Punta Gorda Town dead.

It's in that zone of Ambergris where persons, referred as "playadors" or beach combers, go looking for cocaine wet drops. That's the illegal activity that police believe 24 year-old Peter Castillo was involved in this morning when he and his 2 companions were spotted. Instead of fleeing, he reportedly shot at the coast guard with a shot gun.

The Coast Guard told us more today:

Commander Elton Bennett - Vice Commandant, Belize National Coast Guard
"As part of the Coast Guard's maritime security strategy focusing on the area of Northern Ambergris Caye Bacalar Chico area and the area of Rocky Point, Coast Guard continues to dominate the area with patrols. We identify this as a geo-strategic location encountering transnational and organized crimes."

Daniel Ortiz reporting
Which is where law Coast Guard Officers encountered this man, who was killed in an armed encounter. The officers say he aggressed them first. That's after his 2 companions fled.

Commander Elton Bennett
"This morning around 10:30 hours the Belize Coast Patrol was located about 800 meters south of the Belize Mexican border in the area of Bacalar Chico where the coast guard identified three armed men approaching the patrol harbor location. The patrol sentry then verbally challenge the three armed men that were approaching the area and instructed them to stop and put down their firearms. Two of the men turned away and escaped whilst the third who was armed with a shotgun, raised his shotgun as though he had intensions of engaging the patrol. One of the member of the patrol then open fire on that individual fatally wounding him. Three shots were fired, one shotgun with 5 cartridges were recovered with one cartridge inside the chamber of the shotgun. The deceased has been identified as Mr. Peter Castillo of Punta Gorda. The patrol commander reported that this individual who got shot, of the three men, he was the one who raised his firearm as though he had intensions of engaging the patrol. It was for this reason that that individual got shot. The other two turned their backs and fled. They fled in the opposition direction away from the patrol and for this reason the patrol did not engage the fleeing men."

It is now in the hands of the police department, and the man, had he survived the encounter, would have been charged with firearm offences, at the least.

Commander Elton Bennett
"San Pedro police was notified and were transported to the area to process the scene. The body of the individual was then transported to Belize City. This is the first time that the Coast Guard has come in contact with this individual. We understand that the police in San Pedro so some reason had some contact with him a few weeks ago."

San Pedro Police have started their own inquiry to ensure that all the facts of the Coast Guard's version of events check out. The San Pedro Sun Newspaper reports that investigators retrieved the dead man's shot gun and cartridges, and the gun of the officer who fired the fatal shot.

Channel 7


Joined: Oct 1999
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Marty Offline OP
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Shootout between civilians and Coast Guard leaves one dead

Police on Ambergris Caye have launched two simultaneous investigations into a shootout between civilians and Coast Guard officials that turned deadly. The incident happened sometime between 10:30AM and 10:45AM on Monday December 15th, 21 � miles north of San Pedro Town. Police claim that there was a shootout between civilians believed to be questionable 'beach combers' and members of the Belize Coast Guard who were on a special operation in the area.

Deputy Commander of the Coastal Executive Unit attached to the San Pedro Police Formation Inspector Henry Jemmott said that at the time of the shooting, the law enforcement officers were carrying out a joint special operation. According to Jemmott, six Coast Guard Officers were on foot patrolling along the beach in the Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve area when they came under gunfire. The law enforcement officers returned fire, fatally wounding one of three civilians. Jemmott told The San Pedro Sun that information gathered from the crime scene suggests that a second person may have been injured, but managed to escape along with another accomplice.

Workers in the area said that at least 15 gunshots were exchanged in an uninhabited area along the beach, located less than � of a mile from the Belize-Mexico border on Ambergris Caye. "Police observed the motionless body of a Creole male, about five feet and two inches in height, with what appeared to be three gunshot wounds� one to his left hand, another to his right hand and one to the chest," said Jemmott. The motionless body was found a few feet away from the beach, in the bushes. Police have identified the victim as Peter Castillo, originally from Punta Gorda Town. "Also recovered about 10 feet from the body was a pump action shot gun with six live rounds. A little distance away was a bag containing seven more 12-gauge cartridges."

Click here to read the rest of the article and see more photos in the San Pedro Sun


Joined: Feb 2009
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Where exactly are we talking about. With regard to strolling along the beach while on vaca, where do we stay away from. Is this near Tranquility? How far north are we talking?


Reality is only an illusion that occurs due to a lack of alcohol
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,000
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The area described in the news report is about a half mile from the Mexican border which is a fair distance north of Tranquility. I guess I've walked a mile north of Tranquility and the border is quite a ways north of where I was. Admittedly I have only a slight knowledge of this area but I would feel quite safe at Tranquility and the immediate area.


Jim
Formerly from somewhere on a beach in Belize
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thanks Jim.


Reality is only an illusion that occurs due to a lack of alcohol
Joined: Oct 2010
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Depends which way the wind is blowing....a "square grouper" can come floating in anywhere.

Joined: Mar 2003
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I have been stopped and have had the Coast Guard come on the beach when I was in the Bacalar Chico area to check things out including locals that may not belong!
I applaud there efforts and work in the area.
There are only a few reasons to be in Bacalar Chico.
1. To visit one of the most interesting areas of Ambergris!
2. Because you own or want to own a pice of Bacalar Chico.
3. You work for someone with property in BC
4. You are a fisher, guide or guest of ether
5. You are a ranger or Coast Guard member working in the area
6. YOU ARE IN THE DRUG TRADE

ALMOST ALL of anyone on the beach falls in group 6, and it is great that I feel safe going to Bacalar Chico thanks to San Pedro Police and the Belize Coast Guard, thank you for returning fire!

Last edited by Loren and Sue; 12/22/14 11:21 PM.

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