George Lynch was gunned down on May 5, 2010, while visiting friend Philmore Phinn’s house in Hamilton Parish.The 40-year-old Jamaican-Canadian had no links to Bermuda’s gangs and no involvement in any criminal activity; he was simply, and heartbreakingly, in the wrong place at the wrong time. That day, a Supreme Court jury had found three men guilty of attacking Mr Phinn’s brother-in-law Temasgan Furbert at the same Midland Heights Crescent residence.Mr Phinn and other members of the Furbert and Phinn families had given evidence in the trial and police believe Mr Lynch was not the shooter’s intended target. His wife Nekesha Holdipp, 34, a teacher at Victor Scott Primary School, was pregnant at the time with the couple’s third daughter, Etana, now one. Mr Lynch was also father to Emoy, five, and Eshe, two, and stepfather to Enaharo, 12.As part of our series focusing on the 12 unsolved gang murders since May 2009, Ms Holdipp agreed to answer questions via e-mail about the murder, those responsible and what she believes needs to happen to solve Bermuda’s gun and gang problem.The Royal Gazette: How important is it to you to see your husband’s killers charged and convicted in court?Nekesha Holdipp: Closure is always important but it will not bring him back. I have confidence that the persons responsible for this will be brought to justice. I am not impatient.My faith and belief in a higher power leaves me comfortable knowing it will be dealt with accordingly. RG: How do you feel about the fact that, so far, they haven’t been brought to justice for the crime and may be walking the streets of Bermuda (assuming they’re not in custody for another matter)?NH: Crime is a funny thing. Just when you think you got away with it, people get comfortable and all it takes is one slip and you’re caught. Life is funny and I believe in karma. Even if they are in custody for something else, they will still have to deal with what they did that night.RG: Have police kept you properly informed about their inquiry into the murder?NH: I have no complaints. You can’t talk about progress if there isn’t any and they have been very vigilant in letting me know if there has been a break, even if it does look like the light is very far down the tunnel.RG: Do you want to make a direct appeal to those people who might know who is responsible?NH: We have seen the appeals by Crime Stoppers and the like. I leave it to people’s conscience. If someone can live with knowing someone who took another’s life, then I don’t know how much better they are than the person who pulled the trigger. It is not about snitching because, in my opinion, snitches do things for themselves, but honest people do it because it is the right thing to do.RG: If you could meet the people who murdered your husband, what would you say to them?NH: I have nothing to say. I often thought about asking why, and I guess the answer might be interesting in a weird way, but when you look at this situation, its connection to the assault case, this murder was for selfish, irrational reasons, and that is that.RG: If they were brought before the courts and convicted, what kind of punishment do you think would be appropriate?NH: I am a God-fearing person who lives by the principle of the Golden Rule [that one should treat others as they’d like others to treat them]. I have three children who don’t have a father, by no fault of his own, and I have to support them on my own. What can a court hand out that would be appropriate?RG: It seems to me you must be an incredibly strong person to be bringing up your four children without your husband, working as a teacher, dealing with your own grief, all at the relatively young age of 34. Some people would not be able to cope with all this. How do you?NH: My children need someone who is strong and, at the end of the day, I am not the only one who has had to deal with tragedy. People experience tragedy every day and life continues. My children will not suffer any more than they have to because of this situation.I commit to them that they will grow to be successful, productive adults who will be resilient. I look at the children I teach and I commit that I will do everything possible so that they will have a fighting chance. We read all the reports about why young people commit offences; I would be a hypocrite if I did not use my position to effect change.RG: You work as a teacher at Victor Scott Primary School, where a number of students have themselves lost loved ones due to gun violence. How do you, as a teacher, tackle this topic in class and in your dealings with pupils? Has your own experience changed the way you do this?NH: I don’t talk about it with my students much; it is simply understood that I have had this experience. Unfortunately Bermuda, like the US in the realm of gun culture, has an immature mentality that glorifies grief and this lends to the perpetuation of violence.I don’t want to give any stage to negativity. If a student wants to talk to me about it individually, I don’t mind. I always look for the lessons to be shared with the student.RG: Can you describe the kind of person Mr Lynch was the kind of husband, father, friend?NH: As a friend, he was the type of person who would go hungry and give you his last penny. He had many different types of friends and could blend in any type of environment. He had boardroom friends and blue-collar friends.He had a big heart as a people’s person and sometimes it was very hard for him to distinguish friend or foe, because he saw something in most people. As a husband, he was a reliable provider, no matter what he may have to deal with, I could count on him; and, as a father, he was dedicated. He wanted the best for his children and did all that he could to provide for them.RG: You’ve spoken before about the need for a “bold, out-of-the-box approach” to solve gun crime and the need for people in the community to “forgive each other for past mistakes”. Are you suggesting there ought to be some kind of “truth and reconciliation” for gang crimes?NH: I was reading a book by Stanley (Tookie) Williams who started one of the major gangs in the US. It is clear that gang culture has moved far away from its original roots. Part of what is happening is the misapplied “eye for an eye” philosophy. So when does it stop? It does stop with dropping the arms.I don’t know how much a truth and reconciliation event would be effective, as these have been tried and [have] not [been] overly successful. It starts with one person who says they are not going to be involved.Very few people are in situations where they have to shoot someone, so then why do it? To prove yourself? To who? For what? These are questions that I always wonder what the rational answer could be.RG: How are your children dealing with the loss of their father?NH: Emoy is upset about what happened to her dad and sometimes she will express herself as best as she can.I remind her that she needs to focus on making him proud. I tell her that he may not be here but he wanted her to do her best and that is what she should do. I lost my dad when I was 22 and so we connect on that.