Victim claims he was shot to keep him from testifying

Tonight another body lies in the Belize City morgue, another victim of deadly gun violence. According to the survivor of latest incident, he became a target the second he agreed to testify in another criminal case.

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
Around nine thirty on Thursday night, thirty-one year old Raymond Gentle, also known as ?Killa?, was gunned down near his home on Doris Brooks Streets by an armed attacker.

Raymond Gentle, Shooting Victim
?By the time I could reach by my vehicle, I heard my wife the holler at me, the bawl out my name and by the time I could really see the what she want, the lone gunshot I the heard. And then I realized that I get shot in my stomach, some part of the right side of my body. I got on a white t?shirt and when I look down on myself I see blood stain. I still had strength in me. I just get excited and I run.?

Lying in the drain in front of Gentle?s home was twenty-seven year old Aniver Palacio. When the body was removed from the scene, detectives found a nine millimetre handgun under him and seven nine millimetre shells nearby. Tonight authorities have identified Palacio as the gunman who shot Gentle. But as the victim recovers from gunshots to his right lung at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, he claims not to have seen the shooter and can offer no explanations as to who shot Palacio.

Raymond Gentle
?Well I don?t know who shot me. I do not even know if it?s Aniver Palacio who shot me. I no see no gunman the come. I only hear my wife the holler at me and from then I heard shots, and I ran. I no responded with no weapon.?

Jacqueline Godwin
?How he get shot??

Raymond Gentle
?I no know how he got shot. After I get shot the people in the neighbourhood the tell me that they see
like three to four person the circle round and round in the neighbourhood. But they never the follow-up until the shooting happen. So I guess that the one of his own friend shot him. My brother came to see me at the hospital and he told me that how they picked up Palacio from out of the drain in front of my house. So when he told me that it was like a surprise to me. I don?t know if he was his friend them due to crossfire or I was the target, even my vehicle got bore up.?

Police strongly believe a two year homicide case may be the motive behind the murder of Palacio and the attempted murder of Gentle. Gentle was scheduled to testify next week in the Supreme Court as the main witness in the shooting death of Nichole Lewis. Lewis was shot to death in February 2004.

Raymond Gentle
?Me and one of my friend Nick Lewis we are one of the witness for his shooting was attacked by a suspect concerning a murder case for Jamie Dawson ended up killing my friend right next side of me, so now I am a witness towards the case. The case is going to be called up on the fifth of June at the Supreme Court. So all I feel like that is the reason for my attack because who so ever is behind it doesn?t want me to reach the Supreme Court because that said person who is in prison for murder could walk off on that conviction.?

It is believed Lewis was shot in the neck because of what he had seen inside Bismarck Club. In 2002, News Five interviewed Lewis about the Neal?s murder but the young man never made it to witness stand. In 2004, police arrested Jason Paulino for Lewis? murder but Gentle says like his friend, he is now a target.

Raymond Gentle
?I always expected something like this due to the past; Jamie Dawson and Maurice Neal shooting. And I know the case I have with Jason Paulino is coming up the fifth of June, which is next week. So I feel that that is the reason; they are trying to get at me so I don?t go to court. If it was not for the sake of one thing I would think of revenge too. But when I think about life, Nick?s Ma spoke to me, my mom spoke to me and they told me let the Lord take his course. That is why I?ve been waiting two years to see if I could bring a conviction in the shooting.?

Tonight authorities say both Gentle and Palacio are no strangers to the law. In 2000, Gentle was released from Hattieville prison after being charged with attempted murder. In August, Palacio was released from jail after being charged with robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. Gentle claims since his released from jail, he has been trying to make an honest living by operating a small shop with his wife and three children.