Mom of shot Morvant boy: Jamal’s murder heartbreaking

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

SHOT DEAD: Schoolboy Jamal Modeste, nine, who was killed in a drive-by shooting at the African recreation grounds in Enterprise, Chaguanas on Saturday night.

The mother of a Morvant boy who survived being shot in August has described the killing of nine-year-old Jamal Modeste as heartbreaking as she lamented continued gun violence.

Javon Prince, eight, was shot in the head in August while gunmen chased a 38-year-old man in a Morvant basketball court.

Speaking with Newsday by phone on Monday, Prince’s mother Marcia Burke said she was disturbed after hearing Modeste had been gunned down at a playing field in Enterprise, Chaguanas, on Saturday night.

“It really breaks my heart to see children just have to go through things like this sometimes they survive and sometimes they die… it’s really sad.

“We need more police patrols – that’s what I think.”

She said Javon was discharged shortly after the shooting but was back in hospital up to Monday. She said he was conscious and capable of walking on his own and expected him to be discharged later this week.

Asked if she had any advice for Jamal’s family, she suggested they should try to seek comfort from prayer.

Newsday also spoke to a senior police officer in the Central Division, who said he was unsettled by Jamal’s murder and it was difficult for him to accept.

“I visited the family yesterday (Sunday) and I told them that this incident really wrenched my guts.

“I didn’t want to visit them just as a senior officer in the division, but as a father, an uncle, as someone with a family. The children are our future, and when you see incidents like this, where an innocent child who didn’t do anything to anyone, die like this from people shooting wild without regard to anyone, it really makes your blood boil.”

The officer said he hoped the community would partner with the police to help find those responsible.

Police could not be sure of a motive for the murder, he said.

The Homicide Bureau of Investigations Region III is continuing enquiries.

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