Trinidad: LGBTQIA+ advocate Kwasi Dion Gill found shot dead after being reported missing

Trinidad and Tobago: 41-year-old Kwasi Dion Gill, an LGBTQIA+ community advocate and former Family Planning Association of Trinidad and Tobago (FPATT) employee has been found dead in a brutal shooting along the Lady Young Road.

According to the reports, Kwasi Dion Gill of Beetham Gardens was reported missing on Friday, August 7, at about 10:00 p.m., as he was seen driving his white Toyota Aqua, registration PDU 163. He was expected to attend an event, however, he never arrived at the event.

Gill’s family tried contacting him several times but the telephone went unanswered, leading his family to report him missing to the police.

On Saturday, August 8, at approximately 3:04 p.m., the Belmont police received a report that a body was discovered along the roadway at Textile hill, Lady Young Road, Belmont.

Following the report, the officers immediately responded to the scene and discovered a man of African descent lying on the roadway with multiple apparent gunshot wounds.

As per the official reports, the man was barefoot and dressed in a white-and-green floral-patterned jersey and grey plaid shorts. The investigators reportedly recovered five spent 9mm shell casings and three projectiles from the area.

The body was positively identified by the family and relatives of Gill at the Forensic Science Centre. Official reports allege that he was killed sometime between Friday night, August 7, and the early hours of Saturday, August 8.

Pride TT has extended their condolences to Gill’s family, friends, loved ones, and the entire LGBTQIA+ noting that, It is with profound heartbreak, devastation and anger that Pride TT extends our deepest condolences to the family, friends, loved ones and entire community mourning the brutal and senseless killing of Kwasi Dion Gill.

The organisation has called for justice for Gill, and urged the authorities to leave no stone unturned in the investigation.

We call upon the relevant authorities to leave no stone unturned in investigating his murder and bringing those responsible to justice. Dion deserves answers. His family deserves answers. His friends deserve answers. Our community deserves answers.

His death has triggered an outpouring of grief from organisations that worked closely with him and from members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Gill was the member of The King Initiative and DragBrunch TT and was described by Pride TT as a committed supporter of the organisation and the people of the community.

The organisation lastly noted, Pride TT holds Dion’s family and loved ones close in our hearts. We mourn with everyone whose life was touched by him, and we honour the legacy he leaves behind.

Rest peacefully, Dion.

Your light, your talent, your work and the spaces you created will live on through the people you touched.

With deepest condolences,

The Board, Members and Family of Pride TT.

According to the reports. Gill’s killing came less than a month after the death of another member of the Pride TT community, Koby Daniel Thomas.

Thomas was earlier described by Pride TT as a dedicated supporter and volunteer who consistently worked to make members of the community feel welcomed, valued and included.

Further investigations into the recent incident are continuing as the friends, family, colleagues and community supporters are actively seeking answers over Gill’s death and people responsible for his murder.