Photo: Carlton Belisle, wounded
by Charles Gladden
BELIZE CITY, Wed. Dec. 27, 2023
As has been reported in this issue of the Amandala, several persons lost their lives over the Christmas weekend as a result of gun violence. However, many more lives could have been lost, since other persons survived after being targeted in separate shooting incidents in the Belize District.
The first of such incidents transpired on Sunday, December 24, at about 4:30 a.m. when the sound of gunshots was heard on Edwin Parks Avenue, in Lords Bank Village, in the Belize District. When police arrived at the scene, they saw a grey Nissan Frontier SUV with four bullet holes – two in the rear passenger glass window, one in the front passenger door, and one in the driver-side door.
The vehicle’s owner, Bert Ramos, told police that he was asleep inside his home with his family when the gunshots were heard. He said that when he later went outside, he saw no one, but noticed that one of his vehicles was damaged.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander of the Belize Police Department’s Eastern Division, told members of the media that they do not yet know what was the motive for the shooting, as Ramos is not apparently in any conflict with anyone.
Police have no suspects at this time.
On the day after that shooting incident, gunshots were fired once more, and the bullets wounded Carlton Belisle, 41, of Hattieville, Belize District, at his residence.
Reports are indicating that Belisle was in his yard at the Farmers Site, near Mile 16 1/2 on the George Price Highway, and at around 12:50 a.m. he went outside to use the bathroom (outhouse), and when he exited he saw two men, and one of them, whom he recognized, fired gunshots at him.
He sustained injuries to his left leg and thigh and was transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.
ACP Romero said that they have not so far identified a motive for this shooting; however, they are seeking persons who they believe are responsible for the shooting.
“We are doing several searches in the area, and follow-up is being done to try to establish what transpired that led to this shooting,” he said.