Gion “Gizmo” Bernard Shot Dead

This morning in Belize City, Gion ‘Gizmo’ Bernard, who was wheelchair-bound, was shot and killed right outside his home. The thirty-nine-year-old had just left his yard on Castle Street in his wheelchair when he was ambushed and shot. Bernard collapsed and died on the spot. Despite numerous run-ins with the law, those close to him say he had been trying to turn his life around, especially after a gunshot wound years ago left him paralyzed from the waist down. News Five’s Marion Ali was on the scene shortly after the murder and filed this report.

 

Voice of: Landlady

“Since he get shot and get paralyzed, he nuh really get eena trouble. Everybody know Gizmo da nuh a threat to nobody.”

 

Marion Ali, Reporting

Gion ‘Gizmo’ Bernard moved into the lower flat of his landlady’s house about a month ago, coming from Orange Walk. The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, mentioned that while he had a bit of a temper, he wasn’t a troublesome person.

 

Voice of: Landlady

“Even if he and somebody wudda ketch in an argument, yes ih wa got wa lee hard talk, but at the end ah the day, before the hard talk done, Gizmo done come back and apologize and everything straight with you and he again.”

 

‘Gizmo’, a father of three adult children, was charged in 2012 with the attempted murder of Jermaine ‘Horse’ Garnett and had several other encounters with the law. A few years ago, a gunshot wound left him paralyzed. A friend who saw him just hours before his murder mentioned that Bernard was well-liked by everyone in the neighborhood.

 

Voice of Friend of Deceased

“He da neva wa fearful person, whereby at the end of the day, if somebody want to do he something, he nuh was stay eena ih house, even though he in a wheelchair, you understand me?”

 

Marion Ali

“And he started to use a wheelchair because of an accident?”

 

Voice of Friend

“As far as I remember, he got shot in his spinal cord. So, he end up in a wheelchair, you know. But again, like I said, I wouldn’t know what really happened, but he da my friend, you know. And he da wa friend to a lot of people around the neighborhood where he live. Can’t talk nothing bad about him. He was a good friend to a lot of people around the neighborhood.”

 

The friend shared a voice message with us, claiming it was sent by Gizmo just before he was murdered.

 

Voice of Friend

“He messaged, voice noted me this morning and tell me, say, “Hey, mek will link up and take wa two drink.” Well, I a nuh wa drinker like that, so, at the end of the day, I tell ah, “Boy, me nuh into da drinking right now. That was that and probably mussy wa couple hours after that, I come out of my yard and somebody say somebody get shot pon the street ya. When we come out, the man got ih face pan the tar. He da somebody weh just like relax and probably just deh pon the block and  whosoever know ah might stop and give ah wa lee hand-out or whatever and he take wa drink or two. He cool with everybody and he da always respect yoh. Ih call me old school.”

 

Police are investigating this latest homicide. Marion Ali for News Five.