Glenroy Sinclair, Senior Crime Reporter

Classes were resumed yesterday at the St. Alban's Primary School in west Kingston, following an outbreak of gun violence on Tuesday, which prevented more than 400 children from turning out for school.

"Today, 130 students came out, plus we got a call from the Denham Town police who have expressed an interest in offering counselling to our teachers and students," the school's principal, Marjorie Hudson, told The Gleaner yesterday.

Murdered near the school

According to police reports, four persons were shot and killed and five others, including two military personnel, injured earlier this week. One of the victims, Fabian Brown, was murdered near the school. Teachers and students who heard the barrage of gunshots and later saw the body lying on the ground became emotional and were left traumatised.

While the St. Alban's Primary School has resumed classes, gun violence has forced another school to do more than close its doors. The operators of the Curlene Johnson Basic School, located at the intersection of Mountain View and Saunders avenues, St. Andrew, are now searching for a new home. The school has been at its current location for the past 20 years.

Speaking with The Gleaner yesterday, chairman of the school board, Pastor Markel Wright, said the children have been through a lot and are traumatised and scared.

"Last Thursday I had a chat with the 14 of them who turned up for school. They told stories about how they had to run under the bed at nights when they heard the gunshots, while others explained how they had sleepless nights," said Pastor Wright. "One of the youngsters said she just wanted to move out of the area. It was very touching."

Pastor Wright noted that his church, the Mountain View New Testament, had to suspend service last Sunday because of the violence which has also affected another school, the Solomon Levy Basic School.