Educator murdered on Teachers' Day - Nephew also injured during home invasion

Like most teachers, Clevon Campbell would have been greeted with gifts and well wishes from his students at Belmont Park Primary School yesterday. Sadly, his life was snuffed out just hours before he was scheduled to begin classes at the institution.

When THE STAR visited the Westmeade, St Catherine, community yesterday, small groups of people spoke in hushed tones. However, some of them went scampering upon seeing the news team.

Fresh on the lips of everyone was the brutal killing of Campbell, who was described by one of his neighbours as a decent human being.

According to Senior Superintendent Clive Blair, commanding officer for the St Catherine South Police Division, the 35-year-old teacher was attacked sometime after 3 o’clock Wednesday morning by two men who broke into his house. One of the attackers was armed with a gun.

Blair said that there was a struggle between Campbell and the armed intruder, which ended with the teacher being shot several times.

Harbouring criminals

Campbell was also the guardian for his two nephews, one of whom was also injured during the home invasion.

One of Campbell’s neighbours said that she was awakened by the sound of gunshots in the wee hours yesterday morning but had no idea that the bullets were being pumped into the body of her neighbour.

“When things like this happen, I know that it is time to move out of the community. One time people used to look out for each other, but not anymore. People are now harbouring criminals, and things are getting out of hand. Mr Campbell didn’t deserve this. I heard the shots last night, but I didn’t know it was over his house until I saw the police vehicles. Mr Campbell was a good man, and he loved his students. Just recently, he was telling me that he had plans to teach over 140 children this summer to prepare them for Primary Exit Profile (PEP) exams,” she said.

Also present at the crime scene was People’s National Party councillor Kenord Grant, who said that a gloom now hangs over the community.

“He was a man that was very passionate and committed about his work and the students in the community particularly. The last time we spoke, we talked about an activity that he wanted to explore in the upcoming summer. He wanted to do a summer camp for the PEP students. Throughout the school year, he used to host classes in his yard for the PEP students. To hear that he died this way is not welcoming news at all,” he said.

It is understood that Campbell also operated a small bookstore within his home, and he was also overseeing a cooking gas outlet for his brother who had recently migrated.