Ryan was a peacemaker - Family mourns murdered teen

T he family of 15-year-old Ryan Harper wants persons making assumptions about his death to desist from doing so.

Ryan and 44-year-old mason, Cleveland Wright, were shot and killed in Stony Hill on Thursday, November 14.

It was initially believed that Ryan was at a party, however, his family, including his mother, Anmarie Wiltshire, told THE STAR that he stopped near the venue on his way to purchase food.

"I called him earlier (that night) because I did not cook and I called him and said: 'Ryan, go and buy something to eat before you come home because the gas is finish', and he said he wanted to come home and bathe," she said.

According to Wiltshire, Ryan, who attended the Stony Hill Technical High School, also worked at a tyre shop, and said he wanted to get the grease off him first, before buying the food.

Wiltshire said she had just taken a shower when she heard gunshots.

Immediately she asked her daughter to make some calls to find out where the shots were coming from. From the response she got, she knew that something was wrong.

"It just feel like Ryan lick me right here inna mi chest because mi know him out there. Mi seh to me daughter seh 'Call Pinky (her older son's girlfriend) and find out where that shot is'. And when she make the call me hear she a seh: 'Ryan', and start bawl and mi couldn't move from where I was. Mi just freeze," she said, fighting back the tears.

Made assumptions

Ryan's aunt, Simone Samson, said the family home feels empty because he is not there.

She described him as a jovial, vibrant young man who was the peacemaker of the family. She blasted persons who assume he was partying when he was killed.

"Dem fi learn fi put dem nose and mouth where it should be. They don't know half the story because he is not even a 'road' person. If he is not at work, he is at home. So dem nuh know half the story," she said.

Eric Smith, principal of Stony Hill Technical, said that Ryan was a very friendly person who, though he had been at the school for only 12 weeks, immersed himself deeply in the school.

Debbie Dillion, vice-principal, said that since Ryan's death, students have been finding it hard to cope.

"He is a child that any school would want to have. He was so warm, he was like a gentleman. The Monday after it happened, the students did not go in the classroom at all. They don't want to be in there," she said.

Ryan even represented the school at events, including an exhibition in Lawrence Tavern.

"He was one of the persons I brought to speak. He was so friendly. He was the person who could change the atmosphere in the classroom and we are struggling to find answers as to why this happened," guidance counsellor Dawit Jeffery said.