Family Alleges Police Inaction After Machete Attack in Toledo

A family in San Marcos Village, Toledo, says police have failed to arrest anyone nearly two weeks after a machete attack inside their home.

Mario Makin told News Five that on May 14th, a group of men entered his parents’ house and attacked his brother, wounding him on the neck, and threatened his mother. Police transported his brother to the hospital but made no arrests.

He said that his mother filed a report the following day and requested court action. According to Makin, authorities have not acted. “Up to now, the people that did the chopping, they’re still walking free on the road with the machete in their hand… I don’t know if the police, they afraid to arrest those people,” he said, adding that his mother no longer feels safe at home.

Makin alleged that the village Alcalde was present. He suggested their influence may explain the lack of police action, noting the dispute stemmed from a prior altercation between his brother and the chairman’s brother.

However, a different account has been provided by village leadership.

Juan Caal, secretary to the Alcalde, said that while the chairman and Alcalde were at a meeting, they received word that two intoxicated men were attacking the chairman’s brother on a backstreet in the community.

He said the Alcalde responded and attempted to detain the suspects, but they fled the scene. Police were later called in to take over the investigation due to the seriousness of the incident.

“We handed over to the police so that they can handle the matter from there because it involved a machete, it involved threatening words. And all we know is that someone tried to attack the chairman’s brother,” Caal explained. He added that the incident appeared to be self-defence, with the injured man possibly cutting himself during the struggle.

Caal also denied claims that Chairman Muku was present during the incident and rejected allegations that he interfered with police response, saying it was the Alcalde’s recommendation that the matter be referred to police.

Makin, however, says that despite a formal report and known suspects, no arrests have been made. “I don’t know what they’re investigating when they already received the report and they’re not acting on it,” he said.