A planned day of equestrian competition in Belize’s Burrel Boom region ended in criminal charges this week after local law enforcement seized a loaded nine-millimeter firearm from a 29-year-old attendee, highlighting ongoing work to secure public recreational events against illegal weapons activity.
The incident unfolded shortly after 1:30 p.m. on April 6, 2026, as police assigned to security detail at the Castleton Track venue for the annual Burrel Boom Horse Race conducted routine entry screenings for attendees. During the check, officers noticed behavior from Ashton Gillett, a resident of Cotton Tree Village in Cayo District, that prompted reasonable suspicion of prohibited items. A subsequent search of Gillett’s backpack uncovered a fully operational Taurus nine-millimeter pistol, paired with a magazine loaded with eight live rounds of matching ammunition.
Following the seizure, Gillett was taken into police custody immediately. Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith, a staff officer with the department, confirmed that formal charges have been filed against the suspect for two violations of Belize’s firearms legislation: illegal possession of an unlicensed firearm and illegal possession of unlicensed ammunition.
“This arrest demonstrates our continued commitment to keeping public community events safe for all attendees,” Smith confirmed in an official statement following the processing of the case. Law enforcement officials have not released additional details on whether Gillett has any prior weapons-related charges, or what his intended purpose was for bringing the loaded firearm to the open sporting event.
The Burrel Boom Horse Race is a regular regional sporting event that draws dozens of competitors and hundreds of spectators from across Belize each year. Security officials note that routine entry searches have become a standard safety protocol for large public gatherings in the district, a measure that allowed officers to intercept the illegal weapon before it could pose a risk to attendees.