Why Was Barry Johnston Targeted? 

Police are investigating the murder of 33-year-old Barry Johnston, who was shot dead in Belize City’s Kings Park area on Monday night. 

The shooting occurred at the corner of F and Seventh Street. Police responded to reports of gunshots and found Johnston at the scene.

Sources say Johnston may have been followed to the location before an attacker opened fire on him with what appeared to be an automatic weapon. He died at the scene. Surveillance footage showed a vehicle fleeing onto 6th Street. 

Another man was also injured during the shooting and was transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where he is listed in stable condition.

Johnston had previously been charged in connection with a 2015 firearm incident. At that time, he was charged with aggravated assault with a firearm after an incident at the Queen Square Primary School compound, where a 16-year-old was shot. Two others, Lloyd Leslie Jr and Dwayne Evelyn, were charged alongside him. Police at the time said the group was waiting for another individual over a prior dispute when a gun they were handling malfunctioned and injured the teenager.