Mom forgives thugs who killed her son - Pleads with gunmen to turn to God

As gunshots rang out in her community of Mongoose Town on Waltham Park Road in St Andrew on Sunday evening, Marsha Finn's mind raced back to a similar event in September 2017 that will forever be etched in her mind.

In Sunday's incident, three men were killed, including one of Finn's cousins. But four years ago, Finn's 13-year-old son, Jahime O'Connor, was murdered a short distance away from Sunday's shooting.

"All a wah happen Sunday just remind me of my son. My cousin had died with him and see now, mi come lose a next cousin. Every time mi pass the football field mi memba mi likkle bwoy and him cousin," she said. The tears streamed down her face as she clutched a large picture frame that shows several photographs of Jahime and her cousin, who were caught in a crossfire as they played a game of football. Finn told THE STAR that she is fed up of the killings, and told her son's killers that she has forgiven them and they should seek the Lord.

"More time mi feel like mi would wah guh inna a hole and hide. Only ting mi a beg unno gunman is just give unno life to the Lord. Unno beg God to please forgive unno. Unno kill mi son but mi forgive unno from the bottom of mi heart. Mi a beg unno just change unno heart and life. Mi forgive unno fi kill mi son and mi cousin," she said.

Jahime, who was a student of Cockburn Gardens Primary and Junior High School, died doing what he loved, his mother said. Finn said he wanted to become a famous footballer, and she heard that he died playing football while she was at work. It did not initially cross her mind that he was killed from the bullet of a gun. She said he wanted to accompany her to work that fateful day, but he had overslept and she didn't bother to wake him.

"That little boy was my pride and joy. I work with Solid Wast Management Authority and more time when mi come in, mi dirty clothes dem wash. Him was a loving child. It grieve mi, but mi just have to a hold it. Mi never use to smoke before mi son dead and right now, is like mi can't stop burn spliff. All now, no one was arrested for his death ... his killers were never brought to justice, but I forgive them," she said.

Finn, who has four other sons, made another impassioned call for unity within her community, stating that she is tired of the bloodshed and would want to see her surviving children grow in a safe space.

"When mi see how bare innocent people get shot and dead the other day, it pain me heart. We can't live like this. People 'fraid a di place. Suh once again, mi a beg di gunman dem to just dash whe dem gun and take up dem Bible," she said.