Parent gunned down near school gate in Christiana, Manchester

By Nakinskie Robinson   

 

A parent was gunned down near the gate of Christiana Moravian Primary and Infant School in Manchester on Friday morning.

 

He is 27-year-old Cuthbert Lambert, otherwise called Jerome.

 

What was meant to be a stepfather saying goodbye to his daughter and sending her off to school became an unplanned and permanent farewell.

 

Preliminary reports from Commanding Officer for the Manchester Police, Deputy Superintendent Carey Duncan, are that Mr. Lambert was shot and killed around 8:45 a.m.

 

DSP Duncan said the police team is being briefed and will provide a fulsome report on the matter.

 

Radio Jamaica News sought to get a comment from the school's principal but was unsuccessful.

 

But principal for the nearby Christiana High School, Leecent Wallace, described the situation as unprecedented. 

 

"We have never seen the likes of this kind of crime and violence in this area. And so, as you can see clearly, the parents are concerned, the teachers are concerned, and of course, we are concerned for the students in general. It is really heartrending to see what is happening with the level of crime and violence that is now taking place in this community. And we really are looking forward to an intervention," he pleaded. 

 

Mr. Wallace is encouraging parents and guardians to maintain calm and cooperate with schools and the police where possible.

 

Christiana, a usually peaceful area, has been plagued with gun violence in the last few days.

 

Mr. Lambert's death brings to four the number of people fatally shot in Manchester this week.

 

A 48-hour curfew has been imposed in Mayday, Barnstable and surrounding communities.

 

It started at 6 p.m. Wednesday and expires on Friday evening.

 

Meanwhile, People's National Party Caretaker for North East Manchester, Val Wint, has called for residents to be vigilant of unfamiliar people who he believes could be responsible for the violent flare up. 

 

"I know the police are making every effort to keep Christiana a quiet and law-abiding town. But for some reasons, criminal elements are finding themselves into this town, and they are wreaking havoc. And so, we have to start looking at the strangers that are coming to our town, and we have to report them to the police, because these persons are coming and bringing violence to this town."