By EARYEL BOWLEG

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

TWO public schools were put on lockdown yesterday after two suspects evading police drove onto CH Reeves Junior High School’s campus and shot at officers.

Police reported that, shortly after noon, officers were alerted to reports of gunshots in the Englerston community. Officers, acting on information, checked the area of Palm Beach Street, off Robinson Road, where they tried to stop a white Toyota Progress occupied by two men.

At the scene, Chief Superintendent Solomon Cash said when officers engaged the vehicle, the suspects sped off.

“As they engaged the vehicle, the vehicle sped off south along Palm Beach Street and went through several streets and eventually crossed over Minnie Street over Robinson Road into Ethel Street and they entered the compound here at CH Reeves throughout the school,” CSP Cash said.

“The officers reported that during the pursuit, persons from that vehicle fired on them on several of the streets, eventually the vehicle collided with one of the police vehicles here at the school, officers again engaged with both suspects who were arrested.”

An officer was injured as a result of the collision and taken to hospital. No one at the school was hurt.

After the chase, officers were seen searching the campus for discarded contraband. CSP Cash could not say how the suspects were able to enter the school grounds.

The Ministry of Education put out a press statement yesterday, however, stating that the ministry was advised that the incident happened after 11am when the suspects entered C H Reeves to evade the police. It resulted in a shoot-out.

The statement noted: “Subsequently, the suspects were cornered by the police, which resulted in an exchange of gunfire between the police and the assailants. A short time later, the suspects were apprehended by the police and taken into custody.

“As a precautionary measure, the school was placed on lockdown to ensure the safety and well-being of those on campus. Due to proximity, the neighbouring R M Bailey Senior High School was also placed on lockdown.”

An eighth grader at the school told The Tribune the incident was terrifying. 

She said: “It was a really scary moment because we had to be locked up in the classroom and we had no air actually, it was hot for one and for two we had to use the bathroom. . .I was actually heading to the bathroom and I saw the men and he was like shooting and I fall down.”

The girl’s father, Travis Clarke, arrived at the school around 1pm. He was met with yellow police tape around the school and said he saw a man with his head bandaged. He and many other parents were visibly concerned as they waited outside the school, trying to get information about what happened. 

According to the parents, neither police nor the school gave updates on the situation. Many of them learned of the incident through social media.

“Well, I’m used to the violence of the school, but it wasn’t like this in my days,” Mr Clarke said. “Now with the lack of information or transparency of the information, if something like this occurs in the States we would have had an Amber Alert or an alert sent to every parent…to let you know a situation going on. You wouldn’t have to find out through Facebook.”

A woman who was waiting for her sister to emerge from the school said her mother tried calling the school’s office without results. She was  also frustrated by the lack of information. 

Meanwhile, the ministry said the Department of Education mobilised its counseling services for both staff and students “to make them aware of the situation, and to avoid any adverse affects of trauma.”

“The ministry reiterates the fact that the disheartening events were not school-related; and wishes to assure the public that it is doing all in its power to ensure the safety and well-being of its staff and students.”

After police ended the lockdown at the school, chaos soon erupted as a crowd of parents demanded answers from officials over lack of transparency, poor security, and not allowing their children to leave.

A school representative came outside and tried to calm down the angry group explaining that students were in an assembly and would be dismissed at an appropriate time. Parents responded in anger, asking why the school’s front gate was left open, allowing the suspects’ access.

One mother argued: “At all times, this gate supposed to be locked. No other school in Nassau have no parents driving no car in this gate. Any parents supposed to come in this gate for a child or come to visit somebody, the side gate is right there. Not through this gate here with no car driving in and out.”

Students were able to leave the campus around 2.30pm, but the general public was not allowed in.  

The unrest continued as a fight broke out between students resulting in one of the boys throwing glass at another student. As a result one student was put in the back of a police car.