Belize City Man Injured After Altercation Escalates

A 59-year-old Belize City man is in stable condition after sustaining an injury during an altercation yesterday afternoon. The incident, which reportedly involved an argument and a piece of wood, occurred in the vicinity of Albert Street.  Police received information of a shooting just before five o’clock.  While initial reports suggested a shooting, Northside Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) personnel who responded to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) Accident and Emergency New Trauma Ward found Mario Richard Haylock, of a North Front Street address, with abrasions behind his right ear. He was listed in stable condition.  Initial investigations reveal that at around 4:00 p.m. on the same day, Haylock was socializing and consuming alcohol in Taylor’s Alley when an argument erupted between him and a man of a Yarbrough address. The dispute escalated, with Smith allegedly striking Haylock with a piece of wood, causing the injury.  The matter is expected to be handed over to the Uniform Police Relief Personnel for further investigation./