Police Shooting of Emil Rivers Sparks Controversy and Conflicting Accounts

Twenty-four-year-old Emil Rivers was shot by police on Friday in an incident that has sparked controversy and conflicting narratives. While the police say that Rivers has been arrested for an alleged aggravated assault with a knife, the mother claims he was holding a machete and police took it upon themselves to arrest and allegedly beat her son.  Upon releasing him, however, Police reportedly shot him. Rivers is currently in a stable condition after sustaining gunshot injuries to the stomach and leg. In an interview today, Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero detailed the sequence of events, starting with Rivers’ arrest.

ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division: “On Friday the 24th of January 2025, Emil Rivers was detained at Independence for aggravated assault after it is alleged that he had assaulted someone with a knife. He was taken into custody where at the station he jumped out of the back of a police vehicle where he received some injuries. He was immediately apprehended and taken to the cell where he was detained. Then on Saturday morning while the cell was being cleaned he ran from the police who were cleaning the cell. He went to a nearby house where it is alleged that he armed himself with a machete. The police cornered him and there was a struggle. Attempts were made to disarm him from the machete. A one-shot was fired but that did not work. At some point then the police officer shot him to the leg. He is presently admitted in a stable condition. As in every police shooting, an investigation will be carried out by the Professional Standards branch. There are several police officers that were involved, some at the cell block and some who brought him into custody.”

Rivers’ family claims that he, who is on medication for a mental health condition, was brutalized by police before being shot. However, the Belize Police Department has denied these allegations, offering a different account of the events leading up to the shooting. According to Romero, Rivers attempted to escape custody twice, once by jumping out of the back of a police vehicle, sustaining injuries, and later while in detention. On the other hand, the family’s version of the story is rather different, accusing the department of staging his release just to be able to shoot Rivers. Love News spoke with the mother of Rivers, Marlene Rivers. 

Marlene Rivers, Mother: “My son told me that the police told me that the police took his ATM card, his keys, whatever he had on him. And when he reached the station they took off his shirt and his pants. He was in the cell in a boxers. Since I was told, okay now from the passerby he shouted and to tell me that police have him. I called the station and I asked him, I spoke to a W. I forgot her name, but I spoke to a W. She told, I said, I heard that you have my son. Is he there? “Yes, ma’am, he’s here.” Who are you to? “I said, my son, I told you he’s my son.” I said, okay, he’s here. I said “when can I visit him?” She called to a sergeant. She said, he said tomorrow and he will get charged for resisting arrest an he is shouting that now and the W is on the phone. This next person is shouting that information. I work hard for my children. I provide everything my children need. I build their house. I buy their vehicle. I’m not rich but I have enough funds to take care of the three  children that I made. That’s why I never have a lot, because I want to know that I could support them. My son doesn’t beg nobody for nothing. My son does not harass nobody. So why would they treat my son like that? Why shoot a person in the belly? My son did not kill nobody, he’s not a murderer. If you’re coming to arrest somebody, why shoot him in the belly?”

The incident has ignited concerns about law enforcement’s handling of individuals with mental health conditions, as well as the use of force during arrests.