ROSEMOUNT Primary and Infant School in Linstead, St Catherine, resumed classes under a cloak of sadness on Tuesday following Sunday night’s murder of one of its students, four-year-old Shannon Gordon, who was among five people killed during a mass shooting in the community of Commodore.

Thirty-nine-year-old Iysha Washington, the mother of a student of the school was also fatally shot during Sunday night’s shooting spree by gunmen posing as cops.

Also killed were 42-year-old Mario Sullivan of Rosemount District, Linstead; 19-year-old Jushane Edwards; and a 22-year-old security guard who has only been identified as Famous Amos.

Four other people including an 11-year-old, who is also a student of the school, were shot and injured.

Due to a lack of water on the school compound, as well the administrators conducting clean-up activities on Sunday, parents were asked to let the children do online classes from home on Monday.

When they went back to school on Tuesday some were hearing for the first time the news of the gruesome act on their schoolmates and a parent.

Members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), along with grief counsellors and people from entities with interest in the well-being of the students, were there on-site to offer support and counselling.

Principal Malaicha Sinclair-Bailey thanked everyone who has offered support to the school since the incident.

“Specifically her classmates; they were crying but they will be much more focused as we get the continued support. The senior students especially realise what transpired and they are being encouraged and supported. We want to thank all the stakeholders who would have come to our school to support us during this grieving time.

“We especially want to thank the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Ministry of Education, and all the community personnel who are on-site this morning to see to it that our children are well-adjusted. Our children are buoyant this morning. Some were crying; however, we were comforted by all our visitors. We pray that as a community we can rally together for the betterment of our children,” Sinclair-Bailey said after a police sergeant on the school compound made a concerted effort to block the media from covering the children’s return.

He instructed journalists to leave the school compound because he believed the situation had already received enough publicity.

The police sergeant threatened to arrest and charge a photographer if he did not comply.

“You are trying to compromise the police in the course of their duties. Don’t do it. You will find yourself in handcuffs. Let me make that clear to you. You were given an instruction to leave the compound and now you need to do so. I am now giving an instruction to move and keep moving. Failing to comply will result in your arrest and charge. Go ahead,” the unnamed sergeant said.

On Monday, the police, who attributed the incident to a gang feud, pledged to capture the perpetrators of Sunday’s heinous act.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness visited the relatives of the deceased along with National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang and Commissioner of Police Dr Kevin Blake.

Holness announced that a $2-million reward is on offer to anyone who can provide information leading to the arrest of the perpetrators.

A 48-hour curfew has also been imposed in three communities in Linstead.

The curfew began at 6:00 pm on Monday and will continue until 6:00 pm on Wednesday.

Members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) who offered emotional support to students of Rosemount Primary and Infant School in Linstead, St Catherine, after student Shannon Gordon was killed in a mass shooting on Sunday night. Gordon, who was four years old, was among five people who were shot dead by the gunmen. Four other people, including an 11-year-old, were shot and injured. (Photo: Llewellyn Wynter)

This woman was seen on Tuesday cleaning the yard where a mass killing occurred on Sunday night in Commodore in Linstead, St Catherine. (Photo: Llewellyn Wynter)