Attack on principal leaves St Richard’s parents wary

A gun attack on the headmistress of the St Richard’s Infant School on Thursday has left colleagues, students and parents feeling uneasy and a cloud of uncertainty hanging over today’s operations.

The shooting reportedly took place about 6:30 a.m. at the educator’s home on Sunrise Crescent, not far from the Roman Catholic Church-operated school, which shares the compound with a primary department.

Following the shooting, several parents expressed concerns for the safety of their children for whom classes were suspended on Thursday as a result of the attack.

The Gleaner understands that the principal was about to leave out for school when armed men opened fire at her.

While the principal and another woman in her company managed to escape without injury, concerned parents lamented the savagery of criminals.

“It seems like a hit, and gladly, she was not hurt, but who can assure us that they won’t try again even if it means at the school?” one parent said.

WAIT-AND-SEE APPROACH

Another parent shared similar concerns with The Gleaner.

“The incident did not happen at the school, thankfully, but what says it cannot? We appreciate how the school took action today (Thursday) to close school and inform parents of what transpired. I won’t be sending my child [on Friday] and I’m certain other parents would wait and see as well,” the parent said.

The parents, who preferred not to be identified, are calling for the police to provide the school with meaningful, reassuring options.

Efforts to speak with Margaret Campbell, chairman of the school board, were unsuccessful.

Investigators, however, are probing the circumstances behind the attack.

Gleaner sources revealed that about eight spent casings and one live round were recovered from the scene.

Superintendent Shericka Service, who is in charge of the St Andrew North Police Division, told The Gleaner that from preliminary accounts, the principal was the target.

“There was a shooting incident, and we believe that she was the target, but she was not shot and injured,” Service said.

An investigator also said that the attack was carried out by men travelling on motorcycles.

“The pillion got off the bike and opened fire inside the yard ... . The principal and another woman ran to the back of the premises ... . The pillion got back on the bike and they made their escape,” an investigator told The Gleaner.

“We are aware of the public discourse and social media theories, but we’ll leave out the speculations and let the investigation take its course,” the senior officer said.

The St Andrew North division, up to September 30, had recorded a year-on-year decline in murders and shootings.

According to the latest statistics published by the Jamaica Constabulary Force, three fewer persons were killed and a similar fall seen in the number shot this year, when compared to 2022.

The division had recorded 42 murders and 46 shooting incidents at the end of last month.