THEY are still trying to come to grips with DeeAndrea Morris’ cold-blooded murder and not even news that a suspect has been held in connection with her death can console the relatives, friends and neighbours of the 21-year-old University of Technology (UTech) student.

Police have not released the identity of the suspect held in connection with the early Saturday morning murder, but said he is from a tough area close to the university known as ‘Mona Commons’.

DeeAndrea was attacked and shot when she and her colleagues were returning to their boarding house in Papine, St Andrew from a fete at the university’s campus.

According to DeeAndrea’s only sibling, Shernett, her sister’s untimely death has shattered the rural rustic district of Top Sham, near Mile Gully in Manchester.

“The entire community is in mourning. I don’t know how to explain it to you,” Morris said last Wednesday as she struggled to hold back sobs.

She said her parents have been living on the edge since they received news that one of their two daughters had been murdered.

“I think my father is going crazy and my mother keeps staring at the gate. I think she is expecting her to come back,” Morris said.

Along with Shernett, DeeAndrea was one of a few young persons from the district who had gone on to seek higher education, and the sudden death of one of the community’s bright prospects has come as a hard blow.

DeeAndrea Morris was killed one week after her elder sister’s 23rd birthday.

“Everyone is crying. She had apologised to me for not making it because she had exams, but she had promised to buy something when she came home,” Morris said.

Police say the gunmen attacked the students as they tried to run away. DeeAndrea nearly reached to the front door of the boarding house when she was shot four times in the back by the gunman. The gunman then turned and shot another female student before leaving the area.

The injured student has reportedly been crippled and is now recovering in hospital.

However, in spite of the pain that Shernett Morris is undergoing because of the senseless attack on her sister, she wished no evil for the triggerman.

“I have nothing to say about him. Nothing is going to bring her back and that’s all I want; one more second with her,” Morris said.

It is not clear why the students were attacked, but head of the St Andrew Central Police division, Superintendent George Quallo, told the Sunday Observer that the killer was known to his victims and might have harassed them before.

“The word is that he may have approached them on previous occasions,” Quallo said.

Students and staff of UTech have complained that they have been the victims of robberies and other assaults when they leave the school compound and enter the Papine community.

The police have also confirmed a report that several robberies have taken place in areas surrounding the institution.

The death has also hit students and staff of the administration hard.

“It is very hard on the students and the UTech community. We are not too sure why it happened and we are very saddened by the incident,” UTech corporate communications manager, Hector Wheeler, said.