OCS Students and Teachers Traumatized Following Sports Day Shooting

The principal of the Ottos Comprehensive School says teachers and students are still traumatized after gunshots were fired on Wednesday, the 3^rd day of the school’s sporting activities at the YMCA.

In an interview with Twin Island Media on Friday morning, Forster Roberts said over 80% of students and teachers did not attend school the day after the incident.

The school had to cancel the duration of their week-long activities to ensure the safety of both teachers and parents.

“We are concerned, and we are still in a state of shock that something like that could have happened at a school function in Antigua and Barbuda,” a concerned Roberts said

Yesterday should have been a typical day at the school, and less than 80% of students and teachers turned out.

He said this shows that many of the school population and their parents are worried about attending school.

“This should never happen in a country where some action by young people who are probably still in school or left school would cause something like that. Everybody at the institution, even the principal, is still very traumatized and concerned, and we don’t even know what will happen on Monday. Monday should be a regular day,” he said

According to reports, while students were engaged in the Basketball and Netball games, they heard multiple gunshots ringing through the venue. It is believed that it was coming from outside.

Giving an account of what transpired, Roberts said, “When the shots were fired, all the students were seated on the stand according to their houses. Teachers were also sitting with students,”

He explained that the school had requested assistance from the police for the sports week, but “unfortunately, the police could not make it. So teachers, along with their principal, manned the gate.

“We started about 9:35 and in the heat of the first basketball and netball game, the shots rang out…we locked the gate…God knows what would have happened if he didn’t lock the gate. Students would probably have gotten knocked down by vehicles, or those who were firing the shots would have had access to the students”.

Throughout the years, the OCS has encountered several unfortunate events that have impacted its operations.