Police keeping close watch on Hopewell High School
Published:Monday | May 16, 2022 | 12:05 AMBryan Miller/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE HANOVER police will be paying close attention to happenings at Hopewell High School, following a recent altercation between students at that learning facility.
With recent media reports highlighting several violent confrontations among students across the country, both in and outside of school compounds, the clash among students at the Hopewell High School generated great interest within the parish, as such incidents were said to be unheard of in Hanover.
Tabling a report at the May meeting of the Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC), Superintendent of Police in charge of Hanover, Sharon Beeput, pointed out that all parties involved in the altercation at Hopewell High School have been identified, and interviews have been done.
“It (the school) is being monitored. We would have identified all the parties that were involved in the conflict, interviews were done with the parents and students, interviews will be continuing with key individuals to curtail the situation. Also, there are some internal investigations being done in the school. We (police) also have ongoing periodic checks at the school,” she informed.
ALTERCATION
Beeput’s report was in reference to an altercation which took place on the school grounds a little over a week ago, where two groups of students were caught up in a physical confrontation, leading to minor injuries occurring, threats being issued between the groups, and classes suspended for a day at the institution with a population of over 1,100 students.
Reports claimed that one group of students, who hail from Montego Bay, St James, were seen spray-painting the walls of the school with a known gang logo; while another group of students, who are from Hanover, objected to the defacing of the school’s walls. This led to an argument between the two groups and a physical confrontation involving stone-throwing and other weapons ensued.
Three students were said to have received injuries resulting from the fracas, with none of the injuries said to be life-threatening. Based on the threats being issued, there was a great amount of fear evident on the school compound, resulting in parents being called in to retrieve their children, and the police summoned to quell the altercation.
Beeput emphasised that the school grounds will be monitored closely as investigations continue.