Trelawny school in mourning in wake of murder of student
LOWE RIVER, Trelawny — It was hard to find a happy face yesterday at the Albert Town High School as students, teachers and ancillary staff at the Trelawny-based school were in mourning for 14-year-old student Oray “Orane” Johnson who was hacked to death, allegedly by an 11-year-old boy with whom he had a confrontation Monday afternoon.
“It is a very sad mood here right now (yesterday). We have teachers who are crying, and students cried openly,” said Vice-Principal Janice Miller. It was particularly hard, she said, for the teacher who was mentoring Oray.
“It is a very sombre mood at the school, the students and everybody who were there this morning at a counselling session are distraught,” said the vice-principal.
Police reported that about 3:30 pm Monday, Oray and the 11-year-old, who is a student at the Lowe River Primary and Junior High School, had a heated argument which escalated into a fight along the main road in their community.
The younger boy, it was reported, left for home but returned shortly after with a machete which he allegedly used to inflict wounds to the older boy. One of the chops caught the neck which was reportedly partially severed.
The 14-year-old ran into a nearby banana field where he collapsed and died. The 11-year-old fled the scene but was later apprehended in bushes and handed over to the Wait-a-Bit police.
According to Vice-Principal Miller, Oray was a good student.
“The little that I know about him is that he is a very quiet student. He was not involved in any form of any trouble at school,” the educator said.
This was concurred by Orane’s form teacher, Rainford Reid.
“He is in the class and you wouldn’t even know he is there,” said Reid.
“He is a repeat student who should really have been in eighth grade but is back in seven; I saw the improvements he was making [and] we talk about that many times,” a teary-eyed Reid revealed.
“He was ill and I didn’t come in yesterday (Monday), so when I heard last night (of death) it was like I can’t believe,” said the teacher, who added that he did not even expect him to be in a conflict with someone.
