_{Photo: Jahiem Fitzgibbon, deceased}

by Charles Gladden

BELIZE CITY, Wed. June 19, 2024

Just around nightfall on Tuesday, June 19, a father and son were shot by an unknown gunman, and while the father survived, the son, 20-year-old Jahiem Fitzgibbon, a mechanic of La Croix Boulevard in the Lake Independence Area of Belize City, succumbed to his injuries.

At around 7:00 p.m., Fitzgibbon and his father were reportedly repairing a van, which was parked outside of their residence, when a man dressed in dark clothing approached them from behind, pulled out a firearm, and fired several shots in their direction.

Jahiem was shot several times and was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Meanwhile, his father, Nimrod Fitzgibbon, a 53-year-old “dalla van” driver, was also hit, but his injuries were non-life-threatening, and he was later released from the hospital.

According to the victims’ family, the triggerman’s bullet was likely intended for Nimrod Fitzgibbon and not his now-deceased son. They said that approximately a month ago, he (Nimrod) had received death threats from a person with whom he had a conflict. A report was made to police about the reported death threats, but there had not been much of a response by the department.

They further said that Nimrod’s son, Jahiem wasn’t a troublemaker, and that he lived in an unassuming way — going to work daily and spending his leisure time with his brother or father. They mentioned also that for the most part, he was at home, and was a humble young man.

Police told the media that they are seeking a person in connection with the shooting.