Egbert Arnold Sr. is Killed in Hattieville
Egbert Arnold Sr.
Sometime after ten p.m. on Monday, gunshots rang out on the George Price Highway and when the shooting subsided, residents in that area of Hattieville discovered the lifeless body of Egbert Arnold Senior. Bertie, as he was otherwise known, did odd jobs in and around the community. He was reportedly riding a bicycle along the shoulder of the road when someone accosted him. Shots were fired and his life was callously taken. Tonight, the Arnold family is grieving the loss of their father, in the same way they lost their mother almost six years ago, to senseless gun violence. It is a homicide that is being investigated by the Belize Police Department with little leads thus far. News Five’s Isani Cayetano has our first story.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
Fifty-six-year-old Egbert Arnold Sr. was gunned down on Monday night near mile sixteen and a half on the George Price Highway. The Hattieville resident was confronted by an unknown attacker who opened fire on him. Arnold’s son was fast asleep at home in the Dollar Bank area when his younger brother woke him up with terrible news of what had taken place on the roadside.
Voice of: Karl Arnold
Voice of: Karl Arnold, Son of Deceased
“He was telling me that he just received a call stating that they just killed our father. I was shocked because the first the first thing that came to mind is that I don’t know the reason why they would want to hurt such an innocent soul, you know, because he is a hustler. He woulda do anything fu mek wahn lee dollar, yoh know. Da somebody weh willing fu help anybody around the village community. So I wouldn’t know the reason to why, you know, somebody woulda wahn chance ahn outta ih life just like that.”
According to reports, Arnold’s lifeless body was discovered off the shoulder of the highway. Next to him was a bicycle. His son, who spoke with News Five off camera, believes that the deadly shooting happened sometime after ten p.m.
Voice of: Karl Arnold
“I didn’t come out because I really didn’t know what the situation was like or if the body was still out there. So I didn’t want to go out there and they had already taken the body from off the scene, you know. But I had other family members that were on the scene that would have been [able] to identify the body.”
Almost six years ago, a similar tragedy befell the family when their mother was shot and killed in a murder/suicide at AAA Security Services in Belize City. In that unfortunate incident, well-known business owner Robert Godfrey took the life of his longtime employee, Delsie Smith, before turning the weapon himself.
Voice of: Karl Arnold
“My mom was also killed by gun violence, you know, soh ih just really rough fi know that my mom passed the same way, you know, and the hurt, you know. People could just imagine but wouldn’t understand the hurt we di face at this moment, but only God knows. We just have to try stay focused and do the right thing, you know, and pray because only God can seek us through this time.”
Isani Cayetano
“Describe your father for us. You mentioned that he’s someone who’d be willing to do anything to earn a dollar. Talk to us about Egbert Arnold.”
Voice of: Karl Arnold
“Well, he’s a sweet, sweet individual. He always has the best and the nicest and the sweetest words to give any individual. He’s a humble, hardworking soul. Anything weh he could do fu mek sure he have money eena ih pocket and he could survive, dat da he, he wahn do that, you know. But I really noh know the reason [as] to why, cause, like ah seh, he loved by many, yoh know, da just probably he have ih lee ups and downs with people, but nothing fi seh dehn wahn tek ih life, yoh know.”
Recovered from the scene were two expended nine millimeter shells. Police continue their investigation into this latest homicide. Isani Cayetano for News Five.
