Yesterday morning at 8:00, the body of a murdered teenager was found
on Magazine Road. And twelve hours later, a stream of shots rang out at the
corner of Partridge and Vernon Streets. Police responded and found a man dead
on the veranda but he was no teenager. 36 year old Norman Gillett known as Pango
P. was what you might call an o.g. – who used to be a name in the streets
in the 80’s and 90’s. But by most accounts – he’d retired
from that life and was living at a kind of communal house for those trying to
leave the life of violence. But violence found him and the killers showed no
mercy. Jacqueline Godwin has more.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
In just twelve hours Belize City police were recovering the body of yet another
homicide victim. He is thirty six year old Norman Gillett better known as Pango
P. The crime scene was the headquarters of the House of Commoners situated at
the corner of Vernon and Partridge Streets.
Norman Gillett was found lying faced down on the building’s front veranda
he had been shot multiple times to the head, face and body. from what we gathered
Norman Gillett, a wood carver, was living at the residence for the past three
years and was in the building along with two other men when he walked down the
front steps right into the path of two gunmen.
Reports are that it was raining hard at the time when the shooters gained access
into the compound by jumping over this rear fence and then hid under the overhang
of the back verandah. It is not certain if their intention was then to run up
the stairs and open fire on the group of men inside the home but at that time
Norman Gillett walked through the front door and went down into the yard when
his killers confronted him and opened fire.
As Norman Gillett was being struck by bullets he managed to turn around and
run back up the stairs but he collapsed on the verandah where the gunmen we
understand continued shooting at him. We understand he was struck at least eighteen
times. At the crime scene police reportedly recovered twenty one expended nine
milimeter shells. This morning when 7News visited the location we discovered
two more expended shells just underneath the front veranda.
Jacqueline Godwin,
“What happened to the other individuals who were inside the home at the
time? How many other persons were here?”
Patrick Rogers, Founder - House of Commoners
“The report I got from one of them is when he heard the shooting,
he locked himself in the bathroom because we don’t have no guns to defend
and so locked himself in the bathroom. The next person locked himself in another
room and I guess didn’t come out until the police came.”
Police acted quickly following the bloody murder and their investigation led
them to this bushy lot on Partridge Street near the Lord Ridge Cemetery where
we understand one of the suspects was found hiding. He has been identified to
us as only one Madrill who is believed to be no older than sixteen years old.
Patrick Rogers,
“We are about forgiving and as I said I know the young man that is
in custody’s father real well and I also know that we effectively lost
two brothers from last night now. At least two; Norman Gillett that is at rest
and this other brother now too, his life is just going to spiral living with
what he has done. So whether he spends his time in jail or comes back out here
in society, when you kills somebody Jackie it is not an easy thing to live with.
I have spoken to people that have killed before and I am telling you, it is
something they live with for the rest of their life unless they are some real
cold killers which I am sure there are those out there. But the young man last
night I don’t see him as a cold killer. I just see him as a young man
that was set up. Two new Glock, he couldn’t buy those.”
It was at the abandoned property we also understand police found the murder
weapons identified to us as nine milimeter Glocks. Police tell 7News that two
more other suspects are being sought.
Patrick Rogers,
“They apparently found the motorcycle that they probably had used,
I am speculating here, but they found the motorcycle and they probably couldn’t
reach to the motorcycle before the police started swarming the area and someone
saw the bushes move and they checked and found him and searched the area and
found the two guns in the area. A lot of the time big peoples link to the street
who put the guns in those street man’s hands and I understand this person
they held had two brand new Glock. What is a teenager doing with two new Glocks?
But that is not confirmed, that is just what I’ve gathered. I know I lash
out on the police a lot but I also say a lot that there are good and bad in
every thing and every institution and I know there are good and bad policemen
and I think last night we were fortunate to meet a lot of the good police men
and women that were working at the time I went to the police station and everything
to make my report and in the manner in which they apprehended the suspects so
quickly in our community.”
But what still remains unanswered is why Norman Gillett was killed and if he
was even the intended target.
Patrick Rogers,
“That was not really a hit on Norman. Norman was a likeable guy and
he wasn’t someone to be out there. We call him house mouse because he
doesn’t even like leaving the compound too much. He wants to reach the
farm, that was his thing – to get him on the farm.”
The House of Commoners is a community refuge for mostly troubled individuals
trying to leave a life of crime and becoming productive citizens.
Patrick Rogers,
“I have no sons, I have three daughters. I love every one of them
like my own son and the fact that we got them to commit to changing their lives,
I feel in some way responsible because I have to hear from some of them at times,
‘yes boss you di tell we put down the gun and we turn easy targets,’
because that is happens. I tell them to put down the gun and they do. The elder
street guys understand this. The problem Jackie is that our killers have gotten
younger. When I keep making the point on the radio repeating the Minister of
Education figure that 55% of our high school aged kids are out of school. Those
are our coldest killers; they have no reasoning, they have no discipline. I
mean if someone puts a gun in their hands and say to go kill x, y, z they don’t
even think. It is crazy so I am not surprised that this has happened. Over the
last three years nothing has surprised me in this country. I think the level
of crime has gone to another level.”
Its founder Patrick Rogers who was not at the shelter at the time of the shooting
but next door at the Kremanadala Radio Station where he is one of the guest
host on the weekly Tuesday night talk show told us he heard the gunshots while
on air but never believed it was his friend who was being killed.
Patrick Rogers,
“It could have political implications. I am not ruling that out. It
could have political implications. From all indications, it doesn’t look
that way to be honest with you. It looks like the street right now, Vernon Street,
Mahogany Street, Ghostown, Third World dah just a killing field right now. Like
one set wants to wipe out the next set totally and it reached the point now
where if I can’t ketch you I will ketch your ma, sister, your brother,
anybody. So that is what I think happened to Norman Gillett last night. Maybe
one of those guys that come around here was a target but because at that point
in time they weren’t here, then it was who was here.”
Yvonne Gillett says she does not know why her son Norman Gillett was killed
but it is the second child that has been murdered. She lost her eldest son William
Gillett in 1992.
Yvonne Gillett, Mother of murder victim
“Yes it is a shock because I was surprised when they come and tell
me they just kill my son. I don’t want to tell them nothing. I just want
to left them in the hands of God because they are killing up their own Belizeans.
So I don’t have nothing to tell them. I leave everything to the almighty
God up there. I have no idea why they killed him because he is not a person
who trouble people. He does his carvings and he sell his carvings. So I don’t
know why they shoot him up like that and killed him. Maybe they were waiting
on him to kill but I don’t know for what because he doesn’t go about
troubling people. So I don’t know why they kill him like that and shoot
him up so much shots.”
Patrick Rogers,
“It is a kind of refuge for the community and you get to meet people
you would never get to speak to if you didn’t come here. So everybody
knows we don’t have guns around here, we have a no gun policy. We even
ask the police when they come here don’t come in the yard with your gun
because we just totally against the killing that has taken over this country
and as people of peace we don’t believe we need a piece. So we can’t
be talking p-e-a-c-e with a p-i-e-c-e on our side and everybody knows that so
the easiest thing to do is to come here and kill everybody here because nobody
has a gun.”
According to Patrick Rogers the House of Commoners will remain open but certain
changes will be made to make it a safer haven for all who seek their services.
Patrick Rogers,
“Everybody know that we commit to peace. Everybody that comes around
here makes some commitment to peace otherwise they won’t be comfortable
around here and they will go back to what they do where they do. But once they
come around here they have to commit to peace and we don’t tolerate guns
around here. So that is what they got caught up with, they buy into that they
need to change their life and at least I am comforted in knowing that they did
change their life.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“This is the first homicide at this location. What you guys plan to do?
Step up security, kind of control as to who comes here?”
Patrick Rogers,
“We had a wide open door policy. That is going to change. Yes we are
going to put more security around the entrances and I myself will step up security
around myself. But it is not going to deter us from doing what we’re doing
Jackie.”
Reporting for 7News Jacqueline Godwin.
Sources close to the family tell 7News that Norman Gillett was the
intended target and involvement in illicit activity may have been the reason
he was killed. In fact sources tell 7News that only last week someone reportedly
held a gun to Norman Gillett, threatened his life and warned about selling a
large quantity of weed in a particular rival group neighbourhood. Reports are
that the suspect detained by police had several rounds inside his pockets and
gun powder residue was detected all over his body.
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