BELIZE CITY, Wed. May 26, 2021– The spate of gun violence witnessed over recent weeks has left several Belizean families in mourning. A particularly tragic and senseless shooting took place on Friday night on Antelope Street. This most recent shooting claimed the life of 58-year-old Randolph Gentle, a father of eight, and the breadwinner for his family.
Police have reported that the shooting was gang-related, but the victim was not the intended target. He was shot after reportedly walking toward two young men who appeared in front of the yard in which he, his wife, and other family members were socializing.
The family members said that they heard a first shot, followed by three more shots, and they soon realized that Warren Davis, Gentle’s brother-in-law, had been shot before realizing that Gentle had also been hit. Police were called to the scene, and the two injured men were rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, but Gentle succumbed to his injuries. Davis is currently hospitalized and is in a stable condition.
Gentle appears to be an innocent victim of a random attack spurred by an ongoing gang rivalry.
Police continue to investigate.