Shock as girl shot dead in Jamaica

Jan 13 2013

A community has been left in shock after an eight-year-old British girl was shot dead in Jamaica.

Reports have named the schoolgirl as Imani Green, who was killed in the town of Duncans on Friday night.

Imani, from Balham, south London, is understood to have died after being shot twice, including once in the head, in what may have been a revenge attack, reports suggested.

Imani's sister, Janella Parmer, told the BBC: "We heard gunshots. We ran outside and shouted 'Imani, Imani, Imani'. I picked her up off the ground and realised she was still breathing. I flagged down a car and they drove us to hospital. The rest is history."

Neighbours in Britain have spoken of their sorrow following the girl's death.

One friend of the family, who asked not to be named, said: "This is a close-knit community, so this is going to hurt us." Another added: "Nobody wants to speak, she was just a little girl. This is all so sad. We're distraught."

Neighbours said members of the girl's family left their home at Old Hospital Close for a flight to Jamaica early on Sunday to be with Imani's mother.

A British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) spokesman said: "We can confirm the death of a British national in Jamaica on January 11. We are providing consular assistance and liaising with local authorities in Jamaica. We cannot comment further on cases involving minors."

Shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan, MP for Tooting, said: "(I am) devastated to hear the news of eight-year-old schoolgirl Imani Green, a pupil at a Tooting primary school. This is terrible news."

The young girl was said to have been with relatives at a cafe owned by her cousin when a gunman entered and opened fire following an argument. Three other people were injured in the shooting and taken to hospital for treatment, but are thought to be in a stable condition.