Dangriga Man killed on Christmas Day
Errol Gomez
A Dangriga resident was shot and killed inside his home on Christmas Day. Police say they don’t know why Errol Gomez was gunned down nor do they know who did it. Today we caught up with the family who shared their own theory about their loved one’s demise. They say that someone wanted him dead because he had been targeted twice before. Here’s the story:
Andrea Polanco, Reporting
Twenty-nine-year-old Errol Gomez was shot to death inside his house in the Second New Site area of Dangriga on Christmas Day. Matthew Gomez Senior says that he found out through a phone call but he didn’t want to believe that tragedy had struck his family that Christmas morning:
Matthew Gomez Sr., Father of Deceased
Matthew Gomez Sr.
“When I get the phone call from my bredda the morning he tell me that how deh kill my lee son. At first I neva really and truly believe that how they kill my elder son. I called my lee niece and she confirmed with my auntie that yes they kill my son. Christmas Day dah wah day weh I enjoy every year to go dance my jankunu and thing and dah then deh wah tek weh my lee baby bwai from me.”
According to Police, Errol Gomez was inside his house when he was murdered. Dangriga Police responded to the scene that morning and there they found Gomez with apparent gunshot injuries. He was motionless on the floor. ACP Joseph Myvett says that the investigation is yet to reveal a motive and a lead into this murder:
ACP Joseph Myvett
ACP Joseph Myvett, Head, National Crimes Investigation Branch
“His common-law-wife was interviewed where she reported that she heard Mr. Gomez walking around in the house shortly before five a.m. and shortly thereafter she heard several loud bangs sounding like gunshots. As A result she called police who visited the scene. While police are conducting an investigation at this point in time we do not have any leads but we are following up on the ground in relation to this investigation.”
While investigators are still trying to find out what led to this killing, the family says they have their own suspicions about what happened that morning. Matthew Gomez Senior says contrary to online speculations that his son may have suffered a heart attack, his son was shot to death. But who would want Errol Gomez dead and why? Here’s how Matthew Gomez Senior responded:
Matthew Gomez Sr.
“My son nuh dead off a no heart attack. They shoot my lee son inna his back. They chanced him outta his life. My son neva dead from no heart attack. He put on light and according to – he get it inna his back. So, weh deh the try come to tell me? The gunman mi deh inna my son house then? Was the gunman inna the house with my son?”
Andrea Polanco
“You believe the person weh kill ah know? He mi know his killer(s)?”
Matthew Gomez Sr.
“Well and know ah, yes. They well and know my son.”
Andrea Polanco
“But why they would ah want kill your son, Mr. Gomez?”
Matthew Gomez Sr.
“Jealousy. Jealousy. They jealous my lee son.”
Andrea Polanco
“For what – what he had?”
Matthew Gomez Sr.
“Nothing just because of the way he move about and take care ah himself. Sistrin, the last thing my son ask me, the twentieth of December he said, ‘Dad, please get wah letter mek I join police.”
And so today the family is convinced that Errol Gomez was killed by someone he knew. The family believes that his murder resulted from jealousy and that it may be connected to previous attempts made on his life. They allege that a woman may know more about the deadly shooting:
Tanisha Gomez
Tanisha Gomez, Sister of Deceased
“Deh chance my bredda outta his life, yuh understand. This dah the third attempt this young lady mek on my bredda. She tek away fi we loved one from us. Do you know how it feels to wake up on a Christmas morning to hear your parents crying over the phone? Well, I received that.”
Andrea Polanco
“Now you say third attempt – what happened to him before?”
Tanisha Gomez
“The first time she set fi burn down fi we house and the second time she put fi mekdeh chop my bredda. And now, finally, she win her battle that she wanted to achieve. The only thing I could say is that we want justice because my bredda death nuh gwein just like that. My bredda, whew, he dah mi wah loving person and caring person. He always had a smile on his face and if he had his lost he would give it to you. It’s a puzzle to us and it has left everyone in Dangriga puzzled to see that he gone.”
Andrea Polanco
“Do you know how many gunshots he received?”
Matthew Gomez Sr.
“Well, that one I can’t tell you but I get to understand that only one he get. And dah nuh from wah distance, mien, it can’t be from a distance. It gotta be close.”
Andrea Polanco
“And he was all alone at home, Mr. Gomez?”
Matthew Gomez Sr.
“Hmm well the sistrin say she come find my son.”
Andrea Polanco
“But you believe that certain things nuh the add up based on the account you received?”
Matthew Gomez Sr.
“Nothing nuh the add up, sista, nothing the add up. I think if I live with you inna a house and how this thing happen you nuh wah find me you wah say I deh deh. I nuh wah come find you – you wah deh right against me because dah inna the room it happened.”
Andrea Polanco reporting for News Five.
