Police Express Condolences After Man Dies in Belmopan Police Vehicle Incident

Police have extended condolences to the family of 20-year-old Kevaughn Gabriel, who died following an incident involving a police vehicle in Belmopan on Saturday morning.

Police say they were first called to a home on Fidel Castro Street shortly before 9:00 after 25-year-old Tanya Escobar reported that her former boyfriend had damaged property inside her home and threatened her life. Escobar later made a second report, saying Gabriel had returned and caused further damage. She also reported bleeding and stomach pain during the ordeal because she is pregnant.  Police were preparing to escort Escobar for medical attention when they reportedly saw Gabriel in the area behind Fidel Castro Street. Officers intercepted him, but police say the Ford Ranger pickup they had been using began rolling backwards after the officers exited.  The vehicle reportedly struck Corporal Nicholas Choc, Police Constable Evelio Ek and Gabriel before rolling into a ditch. Gabriel became trapped beneath the vehicle and was removed with assistance from persons in the area. He was taken to the Western Regional Hospital, where he later died.  Corporal Choc, PC Ek and Escobar were also treated for injuries and later released.  Assistant Superintendent Stacy Smith says police are extending condolences to Gabriel’s family and acknowledges that the incident was traumatic for everyone involved.

Stacy Smith, Assistant Superintendent: “What we have learned so far is that a female made calls to the police station stating that Mr.Gabriel, an ex boyfriend of hers, had entered her home and damaged a number of items and he did this on two occasions. On the second occasion when police were escorting the female for medical attention because she became distressed because of the circumstance and for her to subsequently formally give her report Mr.Gabriel was observed and he was apprehended. The officers alighted the vehicle and in the process of formally detaining Mr.Gabriel the vehicle began to roll backward resulting in the three officers who were responding being struck as well as Mr.Gabriel. The officers received non life threatening injuries however Mr.Gabriel’s injuries were more fatal and he subsequently passed. Concurrent criminal and internal investigations are being conducted in relation to the death of Mr.Gabriel. It would want to appear that Mr.Gabriel became lodged under the vehicle and that is why his injury was more extensive.”

Reporter: Was Mr.Gabriel restrained by handcuffs while this vehicle was rolling backward ?

Stacy Smith, Assistant Superintendent: “I am not sure, that is not on the face of the report. I will have to make inquiries. The female as well as two minor children that were along with her were in the vehicle at the time and it was a joint effort from bystanders and the police officers to assist everybody in this most unfortunate incident. As I stated in this briefing that I’m giving the department is sincerely expressing it’s condolences for the passing and certainly the family, if it has not happened as yet I cannot go on record to say that has happened, would be contacted because certainly the circumstance is not one that was desired and police officers were responding I believe it was a traumatic situation for each and everyone involved because I was also made to understand that the female is with child for Mr.Gabriel. So for the police officers, for the family of Mr.Gabriel as well as the woman and children who were out there witnessing this. So as I said concurrent investigations are being conducted to determine what exactly transpired in terms of that allowed such a situation to come to fruition.”

The matter remains under investigation.