Principal says slain Oracabessa High student had potential

The principal of Oracabessa High School, Paul Lofters has described Rushane Murray as a very quiet student, who was full of potential.

Murray, who was a 16-year-old Grade 10 student, was on his way home, when he was stabbed to death by another student following a dispute with another male from the school.

"Rushane was a very quiet and pleasant young man, who had potential. He interacted well with his peers and had good respect for his teachers. He was never accused of any improper conduct," Lofters explained on Tuesday afternoon.

Murray was pursing Building Technology as his vocational area and his fellow classmates are grieving his loss.

"The students [of Rushane's class] have said that if it was anyone else it wouldn't have been this painful, but because of the type of character he had, he did not deserve to die like that, " Lofters added.

In the meantime, the school received several counselling and visits from various stakeholders on Tuesday to assist with the grief process.

These included officers from the St Mary Community Safety and Security Branch (CSSB), the Ministry of Education, head of the St Mary police, Superintendent Stephanie Lindsay and members from both political divides.

In the meantime, the principal of Oracabessa High School revealed that the male student, who is accused of stabbing Murray was brought before the school board once for behavioural issues.

However, the board reverted its decision to expel the student and placed him along with 10 others in a special programme to transform their behaviour.

The student's behaviour still continued to be an issue.

"We could not have foreseen Monday's incident occurring," Lofters said, while explaining that Murray and the other two boys were present at school Monday.

The police report that Rushane, who is from Herbert Swaby Avenue, Tower Isle in the parish, was on his way home from school at about 5:30 pm on Monday, May 9, when a dispute developed between him and the other student.

The police say the dispute became physical and a knife was brought into play, which resulted in Murray being stabbed.

He was taken to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

The two students have not been charged and are still in custody.