By Breaking Belize News Staff: A land dispute in Lemonal Village turned violent this week after a woman was shot and injured during a confrontation with a heavy equipment operator who claimed he believed acid had been thrown in his face.
Rupert Alexander Gentle, 54, a driver and heavy equipment operator of Georgeville, Cayo District, was escorted to the Belize City Magistrate’s Court this morning, where he was arraigned before a Senior Magistrate on two criminal charges: use of deadly means of harm and wounding upon 33-year-old Stacey Amanda Middleton.
No plea was taken due to the nature of the offenses. Bail was denied because the allegations involve the use of a firearm, and under Section 16 of the Crime Control and Criminal Justice Act, the Magistrate’s Court could not grant bail.
Gentle was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until July 10, 2026.
According to police, the incident occurred on Tuesday, May 12, around 1:36 p.m., while Gentle was clearing a parcel of land with a bulldozer in Lemonal Village. Police say Middleton, a customer service representative of North Creek Road, Belize City, approached him along with another woman and a minor female, and told him to stop clearing the land.
Middleton reportedly told police that Gentle turned the bulldozer in their direction, causing her to become frightened. She allegedly threw water from a Crystal water bottle at Gentle, but Gentle claimed he believed the liquid was acid after experiencing a burning sensation on his face.
Police say Gentle then pulled out his licensed 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol and fired what he described as a warning shot. The shot struck Middleton, who had to be taken to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital for treatment.
When police arrived, Gentle handed over his licensed firearm along with a magazine containing 15 rounds of ammunition. He was placed under arrest and taken to the Ladyville Police Station pending investigation.
Police say medico-legal forms were issued to both Middleton and Gentle. On Wednesday, May 13, Gentle was interviewed in the presence of a Justice of the Peace but chose to remain silent.
He was later charged with use of deadly means of harm and wounding.
The post Rupert Gentle remanded for shooting Stacey Middleton after Lemonal land dispute gets heated appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: A land dispute in Lemonal Village turned violent this week after a woman was shot and injured during a confrontation with a heavy equipment operator who claimed he believed acid had been thrown in his face. Rupert Alexander Gentle, 54, a driver and heavy equipment operator of Georgeville, Cayo District,
The post Rupert Gentle remanded for shooting Stacey Middleton after Lemonal land dispute gets heated appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
