All this week, we've been closely following the story of 11 year-old Kyron Green. He's the child who remains hospitalized and partially paralysed after he was hit by a stray bullet on Friday night while he was buying at the neighborhood store for his mom.
The senseless shooting of another child is particularly vexing because he's an innocent child who became collateral damage in a street war between adults. Since his injury, his school, St. Luke's Methodist, has been a pillar of support to his worried family. And this morning, his fellow schoolmates and teachers took to the Belize City streets to demand justice for his shooting, and to call for an end to gun violence.
7News was there, and Daniel Ortiz reports:
"What do we want, pick up your Bible!"
That's the level of zeal and purpose that the students of Saint Luke Methodist School displayed on Central American Boulevard this morning.
They were sending the message that that they've had enough of the gun violence that has their schoolmate Kyron fighting for his life in a hospital bed, instead of being in the classroom with his standard 4 classmates.
Pamela Bodden - Principal, St. Luke Methodist School
"This march is for Kyron. It's all Kyron today. He was a member of this very band that you see playing out here. And now, we are not sure, but we hope and pray that after the ordeal is finished that Kyron will be up and be marching and playing in our band again."
Their march for peace and justice progressed down Central American Boulevard, and when they arrived in front of One Plus One Supermarket, the students and teachers stopped there to reflect on the fact that this where Kyron was shot.
Their presence in front of the store painted a very different picture from the way things looked on last Friday night, when this same area was a crime scene in the aftermath of Kyron's shooting.
Pamela Bodden
"Whatever is causing the violence in the city, it has caused a lot of upset among not only the adults, but also the children. In every way they have been affected. Their mothers and fathers have been taken away from them. Their lives have been taken away from them. There have been injuries, life threatening injuries, such as Kyron's right now."
Reporter
"Is this the entire student body from St. Luke Methodist, and what's the number?"
Pamela Bodden
"We have 730, but we're probably only 630 because the infants, which is the first grade, they are not out here this morning."
And although the St. Luke Methodist family is upset that Kyron cannot not with them at this time, it was important for the school and the students to vent their frustration respectfully, instead of responding in kind with hate.
Pamela Bodden
"Our children are sending positive messages, messages to everyone in the nation. We want them to pay keen attention to the children and what they are saying. They're asking for peace. They're asking for peace. They're asking for a cease to the violence that's happening in the city right now. We want our children to have a fair opportunity to be able to grow up into adults who are productive. We have tried to prepare them over the last 2 days having them made their placards, with their messages, and getting them to understand what the march is all about. The children rare very well aware of the whole situation. I have been overwhelmed with the sadness and the empathy that has been outpouring for him. During our candlelight vigil, we have had all sectors of the society coming out and praying for his healing and for a complete recovery."
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