Police Brace for Retaliation After Brutal San Pedro Triple Murder
Police on Ambergris Caye are scrambling tonight, not just to solve a crime, but to stop the island from sliding into a cycle of revenge. San Pedro is on edge after a chilling triple murder that has shaken even longtime residents who’ve grown used to flare‑ups of violence. Karim Espat, Oscar Mas, and Yerlin Alvarez were inside a home in the Mosquito Coast area late last night when gunmen stormed in and opened fire. The attack was swift, targeted, and ruthless. Investigators say this wasn’t random. They’re looking squarely at the simmering feud between rival drug factions that has been bubbling beneath the surface of paradise. Now, with three men dead, police fear the next move could come from those seeking payback. News Five’s Shane Williams was in San Pedro earlier, where armed patrols have multiplied, officers are combing through leads, and several suspects are already in custody.
Karim Espat
Shane Williams, Reporting
San Pedro is tense tonight after one of the island’s boldest and deadliest attacks in months. Police have flooded the streets, trying to stop any backlash after the murders of twenty-nine‑year‑old fisherman Karim Espat, thirty-five‑year‑old carpenter Oscar Mas, and twenty-one‑year‑old Honduran national Yerlin Alvarez. Around 9:30 p.m., three hooded men slipped through a nearby landfill, stormed Mas’ yard, and unleashed gunfire. Officers arrived to find Espat and Mas dead inside the home. Alvarez had already been rushed to the San Pedro Polyclinic, but she died shortly after midnight despite emergency care.
Hilberto Romero
ACP Hilberto Romero, Head, National Crime Investigation Branch
“Information is that all these three male persons were in a house at the time when several male persons arrive at the area, one of them entered the house and fired several shots at them causing their fatal injuries. We have several suspects in custody for this triple murder.”
Police believe Espat was the intended target, pointing to an ongoing and volatile rivalry between drug factions operating on the island.
Reporter
“Do you believe that Mr. Espat was the target? We know he hasfaced multiple charges.”
Oscar Mas
ACP Hilberto Romero
“That is the information we have. He was the intended target.”
Paul Lopez
“What is the motive at this time?”
Yerlin Alvarez
Hilberto Romero
“This is ongoing rival with the two groups in San Pedro over drugs.”
That rivalry is not new. The Espat family name has surfaced repeatedly in connection with violent incidents and gang-related investigations in San Pedro over the years. Karim Espat, himself, had faced multiple charges in the past. His brother, Christian Espat, is currently behind bars remanded for a triple murder and previously sought in connection with other murders and gang activity. The family has also endured repeated tragedy, losing relatives to violent deaths in a cycle that has long plagued parts of the island. Police say tensions between rival groups have flared up before often going quiet, only to erupt again in deadly fashion.
ACP Hilberto Romero
“We have deployed our major crimes team as well as additional personnel have been sent to San Pedro to prevent any form of retaliation. So the investigation continues today and we have several suspects in custody for this shooting.”
Reporter
“What’s the expectation in terms of retaliation? Whatcha trying to.”
ACP Hilberto Romero
“Well, there is also a threat of retaliation, so we will deploy personnel to try and prevent any form of retaliation.”
When we visited the Mosquito Coast today, residents spoke openly about the fear and uncertainty gripping the area after the shooting. Over at the San Pedro Police Station, the tension was just as clear. A heavy police presence surrounded the building as top commanders, Deputy Commissioner Alden Dawson, Senior Superintendent Raymundo Reyes, and Assistant Commissioner Hilberto Romero, huddled inside, coordinating the investigation and tightening security island‑wide.
“Police have since made several arrests and have deployed additional personnel across San Pedro, as they intensify operations to prevent any form of retaliation or escalation into a full-blown gang war. Authorities say they are actively combing the island for suspects, while sources tell us that the lone survivor of the shooting is cooperating with investigators. Reporting from San Pedro for News Five, I am Shane Williams.”
Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.
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