Two tenth-grade boys were in a violent physical altercation at Ocho Rios High School. The fight on the school grounds led to the death of one student after suffering a blow to the head, and the arrest of the other.
Police say the deadly confrontation occurred Wednesday afternoon. It is understood that, during the dispute, one of the students used a metal chair as a weapon against the other.
The chair struck the back of the student’s head, leaving him critically injured. The student was taken to a hospital, and he later succumbed to his injuries. The deceased was later identified as 16-year-old Devonie Shearer, a resident of Buckfield Road in St. Ann. Authorities say the other student involved in the fight, a 17-year-old, was later taken to the police by relatives. He remains in custody as the investigation continues.
Following the incident, the school’s principal, Marvin Clowson, confirmed that both boys were in grade 10. He disclosed that both boys had only recently joined the institution. According to him, the student now in custody enrolled at the school just last month, while Shearer became a student there in September of last year.
The fatal incident has left the school community in shock and grief. In the aftermath of the altercation, several government officials visited the school to offer support. Among them was Minister of Education, Skills, Youth, and Information Senator Dana Morris Dixon.
During the visit, Dixon assured the school’s leadership that the government would provide support as the institution navigates the difficult period ahead. She also encouraged Principal Clowson to take care of himself while guiding the school community through the mourning process, noting that leaders often carry the emotional weight of others during moments of tragedy.
Authorities have not yet disclosed what sparked the confrontation between the two students. Police say the investigation remains ongoing as they work to establish the circumstances that led to the deadly altercation on the school grounds.