By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

A 17-year-old boy became the country’s 100th murder victim when he was gunned down near his home early yesterday morning.

It happened around 9:30 am.

According to reports the  CC Sweeting Senor High student was shot in the chest while attempting to recover a pair of sunglasses that were stolen from his younger brother about an hour earlier.

Police have not yet identified the victim, but sources say he is Javell Gardiner.

According to reports, Javell’s younger brother, a 15-year-old student of T A Thompson, was on his way to school around 8:30am when he was robbed by a group of men.

The men allegedly stole a pair of sunglasses along with some jewellery and cash.

After he was robbed, the young boy went to school, reported the matter and was sent home.

When he arrived at his residence, he told Javell what had happened and the pair went looking for the suspects.

The teens spotted the alleged robbers in the area of Hawthorne Road and approached them.

One of the men produced a shotgun and shot Javell in the chest. The boys tried to flee the scene, but Javell collapsed a short time later and died.

The younger brother was unharmed.

Officer in charge of the Central Detective Unit, Superintendent Paul Rolle, said police have two men in custody assisting them with their investigations.

He also warned the public not to take matters into their own hands and alert the police if a crime has been committed.

Asked about the boy’s attempt to seek justice for themselves, Mr Rolle said: “Come to us. This is why we are here. CID is right around the corner from where this incident happened, these young men should have come to us. If they had come and get us, we would have dealt with the matter and things could have happened very differently.

“Do not retaliate. Go and get an officer. That is what we are for. People need to understand the things that can happen if they try to take matters in their own hands. This is the reason that a police force is here. What do you think would have happened if they came to us? But they didn’t and now this tragedy has happened. Retaliation is never the answer.”

Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald said he is deeply saddened by the news of the death and sent condolences to the immediate family and to the school at the loss of the student.

According to a statement, Mr Fitzgerald said the teen was in the Work-based Programme at his school.

“The programme provides male students with skills for work and life after high school. According to information, the student was attempting to resolve a matter involving his younger brother and the outcome was tragic,” the statement said.

“The police informed school officials of the matter and also participated in a special assembly at the school this morning.  The law enforcement officers provided the students with information on how to protect themselves and to avoid resolving conflicts on their own. Grief counsellors from the Ministry of Education, along with the Mr. Howard Newbold District Superintendent for the Northwestern District were at the school to offer support to the students and teachers.”

National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage could not be reached for comment.

However, speaking in the House of Assembly last night, he noted that the victim lived in his constituency.

Dr Nottage said he is “very concerned” about the account he has been given of the incident.

Dr Nottage said he could not say a great deal about the matter at the time, other than to affirm that a full investigation needs to be conducted and “processes put in place” to ensure that it cannot happen again.