18 year-old Hilberto Sotz died while in police custody. Well, as we told you, the family and the villagers are furious at the circumstances, they don't believe that he died of natural causes - they believe police killed him.
And that has led to civil unrest on the island. Right now, as this video shows, a crowd of persons has started a riot on the island. We're told by persons on the ground that the Gang Suppression Unit has been called in to quell the unrest. It's unprecedented and a very volatile situation, which we'll keep following.
Mayhem On Caye Caulker As Two Youths Go Into Police Custody Over Theft And Before Long One Is Dead
Several youths living on the island of Caye Caulker were accused of burglary and theft and taken into custody by police, and within hours one was dead. There have been a string of burglaries on the island lately with several homes being broken into and items stolen.
Sources on the island say the deceased, Gilbert Sotz, was detained early this evening when he disembarked from a water taxi. He was taken to the station by police where he was beaten while police demanded he tell them where the stolen items were. When he refused to talk, a plastic bag was allegedly placed over his head. When it was not removed in time, he suffocated.
Victim, Gilbert Sotz
Another youth, Manuel Guerra, is said to be badly beaten. Frantic family members are said to be still trying to ascertain his current condition.
Around ten persons are currently being detained at the police station over the thefts and burglaries.
Gilbert declared dead on arrival
Gilbert’s body was transported to the local health clinic where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Word of Gilbert’s death spread like wildfire. Angry citizens surrounded the Community Centre building which houses the health centre where the police had taken the body and began pelting it with rocks and bottles. They demanded to see the policemen accused of killing the young man who were now trapped at the health center.
Our sources say that the policemen allegedly responsible for Gilbert’s death are one Nelson Nunez and another with the surname King who is allegedly a pastor at a church.
As the night wore on, the protests erupted into more violence as the angry crowd demanded answers and demanded to see their loved ones who are still locked up.
As the crowds gathered at the health center shots rang out. Shortly after, a contingent of guys with big guns showed up to secure the compound.
In what can only be described as thuggery the Police Corporal below showed up, demanding that villagers stop taking photos of him.
When the villagers refused to comply, or move as he had ordered them, he allegedly drove up to a random man standing in the crowd and slapped him.
After several hours of a stand off, the crowds dissipated. However, the mood on the island continues to be somber and angry.
Unconfirmed reports are that there are over 100 Caye Caulker residents outside of the police station protesting and police are firing warning shots to disperse the crowd.
UPDATE at 8:35pm:
Additional police support from Ambergris Caye and Belize City have been deployed to Caye Caulker.
Click photos for more pictures!
Residents of Caye Caulker Village have taken over the street in front of the Caye Caulker Police Station protesting the death of a minor while under police custody. According to San Pedro Police officials, the 17-year-old minor was arrested earlier today and was under investigation for burglary. Shortly after, he was admitted to the public clinic where he was pronounced dead. While the cause of death has not been confirmed, residents are claiming police brutality. Enraged residents rioted over the minor's death, resulting in the lock-down of the police station. San Pedro Police were deployed to Caye Caulker at around 6PM, but to no avail. At 8:30PM police confirmed that additional Coast Guard personnel landed in Caye Caulker and have since gained some control over the situation. Several warning shots were fired into the area by police officers to disperse the crowd. Authorities are still awaiting further San Pedro Police and Belize City Police officers to fully control the situation.
Click photos for more pictures!
Caye Caulker Residents Protesting
A resident of Caye Caulker, a teen, 17 year old Wilbert Sots was detained by police and died in their custody. His body was taken to the clinic where it was pronounced dead. The cops have detained him for questioning in relation to theft. More well armed police officers from San Pedro and the Belize Coastguard have been deployed on the island to quiet the residents. The businesses have locked down early because of the unrest that has developed against the officers of the law. The station has also been locked down.
The Belize Police Department responds to Incident in Caye Caulker The Belize Police Department extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends grieving the loss of Mr. Hilberto Sotz who was detained by the police in Caye Caulker and subsequently died unexpectedly. The Commissioner of Police takes this opportunity to assure the family as well as the citizenry that an expeditious, thorough and transparent criminal, as well as internal investigation is presently underway and any evidence of wrong doing will be promptly dealt with. The outcome of those investigations will be made public at the earliest.
Information gathered to date is that on Monday June 8, 2015 at 11:50 am, 18-year-old Hilberto Sotz of Bahia Puesto Del Sol, Caye Caulker Village was detained at Caye Caulker police station pending investigation into a series of burglaries. Sometime around 5:00pm, while being interviewed, he reportedly started complaining of chest pain and had difficulty breathing. He was rushed to the poly clinic for medical treatment where he passed away.
Unfortunately, this situation led to concern villagers who surrounded the Poly clinic and the Police Station where some of those persons present threw missiles, causing minimal damage to the building and its contents. The movement of the police and others working within both buildings were impeded by the gathering. Warning shots were fired in the air in an effort to ward off those persons. A golf cart loaned to the police valued at some $13,000 was stolen while parked at the Poly clinic and was recovered in the early morning of Tuesday June 9, 2015.
Peace in Caye Caulker Disrupted by Rioting Residents Against Police The Belize Riot Squat, members of the Belize Coast Guard and additional police support from San Pedro had to be deployed to the island of Caye Caulker late Monday evening, June 8, 2015, as a mob of angry residents set to riot after the death of a 17-year old male in police custody.
It is being reported that islanders believe that members of the Caye Caulker Police brutalized Gilbert Sotz while in their custody after he was caught red handed breaking into a residence. Sotz was allegedly severely beaten by police officers and died while being treated at the island clinic.
Outraged by the actions of the island's police officers, calling out police brutality, the villagers started to protest outside the clinic where Sotz was treated. The Caye Caulker Police Station was also in lockdown as furious residents started throwing bottles and acid bombs at the building, according to eyewitness reports. It was reported that the CC Police fired several warning shots towards the direction of the mobbing crowd in an attempt to disperse it.
Police Press Statement on Incident in Caye Caulker Village
The Belize Police Department extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends grieving the loss of Mr. Hilberto Sotz who was detained by the police in Caye Caulker and subsequently died unexpectedly. The Commissioner of Police takes this opportunity to assure the family as well as the citizenry that an expeditious, thorough and transparent criminal, as well as internal investigation is presently underway and any evidence of wrong doing will be promptly dealt with. The outcome of those investigations will be made public at the earliest.
Information gathered to date is that on Monday June 8, 2015 at 11:50 am, 18-year-old Hilberto Sotz of Bahia Puesto Del Sol, Caye Caulker Village was detained at Caye Caulker police station pending investigation into a series of burglaries. Sometime around 5:00pm, while being interviewed, he reportedly started complaining of chest pain and had difficulty breathing. He was rushed to the poly clinic for medical treatment where he passed away.
Unfortunately, this situation led to concern villagers who surrounded the Poly clinic and the Police Station where some of those persons present threw missiles, causing minimal damage to the building and its contents. The movement of the police and others working within both buildings were impeded by the gathering. Warning shots were fired in the air in an effort to ward off those persons. A golf cart loaned to the police valued at some $13,000 was stolen while parked at the Poly clinic and was recovered in the early morning of Tuesday June 9, 2015.
Action Taken
The Commissioner of Police dispatched senior investigators from Belize City as well as senior officers from the Professional Standards Branch and directed that a thorough investigation be launched to determine the circumstances leading to the detention and the passing of Mr. Hilberto Sotz, whose body now lies at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Morgue. Arrangements are being made for Post Mortem examination to be conducted as earliest today. Two police officers are presently detained pending the outcome of investigation. Reinforcement was also dispatched from Belize City and the San Pedro detachment to contain the situation. Peace and normalcy were restored around 11:00pm.
Members of the public are reminded that while citizens have the right to assemble and protest, they do not have the right to destroy the property of others be it public or private nor restrict the movement of other citizens from conducting lawful business. The general public is encouraged to continue working in partnership with the police department in making our communities safer.
I know this kid his whole life. He is a quiet soft spoken Indian kid with a baseball cap. He avoids the city because he is afraid of the gangs, so he goes to high dchool in Belmopan. That "gang sign" is a heart , which means love or I love you to the kids. If he said something like that about you, he would apologize. Do you have as much class?
Gang signs? You've got to be kidding??? That is a reason to detain someone? That's an excuse to mistreat anyone?
Jailing anyone out of sight without letting anyone in to see them has always upset me. Why do they try to hide how they treat people? The conditions in the jails are deplorable - I even say inhuman. My heart hurts.
Ambergris Caye 
AmbergrisCaye.com