16-y-o Muschett High student was killed by fellow passenger in minibus, not by motorist

The death of a Muschett High student who was recently shot and killed in St James has taken on a new twist. New reports coming in are that the initial story was fabricated in order to protect those involved. We would like to share this unfortunate story from the Jamaica Observer.

The Jamaica Observer

CONTENT, St James – New information has emerged that the bullet which killed 16-year-old Muschett High student Shanique Rose, last Friday, was fired from inside the minibus in which she was a passenger, and not by an angry motorist.

Initial reports of the fatal shooting were that the incident was triggered by an altercation between the bus driver and an irate motorist who opened fire into the minibus.

But investigations have revealed that the story was a complete fabrication.

The police had earlier reported that the student was killed on Friday when the motorist, complaining about the bright lights on the minibus, fired in anger at the vehicle.

Rose was allegedly hit by the motorist’s bullets and taken to hospital where she succumbed to her wounds.

There were no reports of any other injuries.

Shanique Rose (photo via Jamaica Observer).

However, based on information reaching the Jamaica Observer West it was revealed that about 11:30 pm on Friday the grade 10 student was among a group heading home on a bus from a party not far from her Content community.

Along the way, a gun-toting passenger allegedly began firing shots in the air after leaning outside the vehicle.

It is alleged that on one occasion the pistol jammed, and as the passenger was attempting to release it, a shot went off ending up in the back of the girl, who had turned 16 years old the previous day.

This resulted in the occupants of the bus, including one of Rose’s elder sisters, reportedly fabricating the story that a dispute developed between the bus driver and an oncoming motorist who verbally assaulted the bus driver for failing to turn off his headlights at a rest stop.

“They were trying to use that story just to cover up what happened because they were scared to talk about what really happened that night,” a source who requested anonymity told the Observer West.

“But after them come back now and the police got involved and so dem start talk the truth that a somebody inna the bus shoot her. Them put it [the gun] outside and ‘buss’ two shots, and after that it [the gun] stick.

So them a try and release it and never know one inna the head and … shot her [the student)] in the back. But through a copper shot it poison her body, so she didn’t make it.”

Up to yesterday morning, police investigators who are said to be following several leads were reportedly yet to make any arrests in the deadly shooting.

Meanwhile, when the Observer West visited the home of Shanique’s grieving mother, Dianne Cowan, she wept uncontrollably and spoke sparingly.

Her aunt, Grishelle, whose face was a picture of grief, shared that the student had retired to bed on Friday night, but one of her elder siblings, who wanted to give her a belated birthday treat, invited her to a party.

The family members are also said to be grieving for the elder sibling who is carrying the guilt for inviting her sister to the party.

“She blaming herself and she a say ‘look how ‘Brandy’ deh a her yard and look how me go call her, and guh carry her out,” said one relative.

Shanique in the meantime was described as a humorous young girl, who loved dancing, and who was always on her cellular phone.

“She loved to dance, she enjoyed music and those things. When she come in from school she don’t stop talk. Everything she does she is on her phone. If she eating she is on her phone…,” a family member said. Ironically, on Monday when the Observer West visited Muschett High School in Wakefield, Trelawny, where members of the Trelawny Victim Support team, as well as the Trelawny police community and safety team offered counselling, ‘Brandy’ was described as an introvert, who spoke very little.