No Charges Removed Against Sergeant Reyes who Shot and Killed Cpl. Gavin Sanchez

  In the controversial case against Sergeant Paulino Reyes, it is now known that no one will be charged for the shooting death of Police Corporal Gavin Sanchez, who went down in a hail of gunfire earlier this year.

    The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has decided that there is no cause for action and Reyes will not be charged for Sanchez’s death.  The cop on cop violence occurred after three a.m. on Thursday, March 18, 2010 at the living quarters for cops behind the San Pedro Police Formation on Ambergris Caye. Both cops got into an argument at Wet Willies where Reyes was performing ‘extra duties’ and Sanchez was socializing.

     After the argument, Corporal Sanchez was escorted to the stationhouse where, according to Assistant Commissioner of Police Miguel Segura, other officers heard Sanchez shout that he would “kill that boy.” It is believed that one of the key pieces of evidence was in a text message that Sanchez sent to the Officer Commanding the San Pedro Formation hours before the shooting in which he indicated similar intentions. Later that night, Sanchez was found wearing a white bullet proof vest and in a pool of his own blood outside Sergeant Reyes’ room. (from News 5 Belize City)

Body of Officer Sanchez taken to City

Police Officer Shooting Update

Sources within the Police Department and witnesses have informed Ambergris Today that Officer Sanchez was drinking while off duty at Wet Willy’s Bar where he encountered Sgt. Paulino Reyes who was on duty. After an argument involving Sanchez at the bar commenced, Sgt Reyes called the San Pedro Police Station for assistance to remove him from the premises. This is when two BDF soldiers arrived at Wet Willy’s and took Sanchez back to the Police Station. Officer Sanchez had by then exchanged threatening words with Reyes and officers at the station. As Reyes arrived at the station and returned to his room at the police barracks, he was assaulted by Sanchez who clubbed him on the head with an iron rod. Sanchez proceeded to load his gun and that is when Sgt. Reyes was forced to fire his weapon at Sanchez in self defense, which fatally injured him. The body of Officer Sanchez was taken to Belize City at about 1:15p.m.

Corporal Gavin Sanchez

Shooting on Swan Street

Residents in the Airstrip Area along Swan Street were startled in their homes as gunshots flew through the neighborhood. According to eye witnesses, a masked man on bicycle stopped in front of a golf cart where another man was sitting and shot four times in his direction. Bullets scattered, one hitting the golf cart’s windshield and another grazing a bicycle being used by a child on the streets. Initial Police reports state that the masked man shot at three people sitting on the golfcart, grazing two of them and causing minor injuries. The shooter managed to escape. One person has been detained for questioning. More information coming as it becomes available. The shooting incident occurred a few feet from Mr. Chi’s Mechanic Shop at about 9:40p.m. Monday, June 29.

Bullet penetrates through the golf cart's windshield where victim was sitting