The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE teenager who was fatally stabbed at Government High School last week was trying to help his friend when he was attacked, the boy’s father said.

After he was stabbed, 15-year-old Kenm Paul ran to the school’s office where he collapsed before telling a friend “it’s alright”.

The 11th grader’s final moments were retold on Friday during a national school prayer initiative in various schools, including GHS. The service was streamed on social media. The 15-year-old died last Tuesday when he and another student were stabbed at the campus.

The deceased’s brother, Stanley Paul, has said the teen’s close friend was the other student injured.

At the service, students and staff were joined by pastors and representatives from the Royal Bahamas Police Force who gave encouraging words during this difficult time.

Kenm’s bereaved parents were in attendance and were presented with fruit baskets from students. His father, Emmanuel Paul, spoke to the crowd and remembered his son as a “lovely baby boy” who was always supportive of his friends. 

“I know it is very hard for me and his mom,” Mr Paul said. “We lost our loved one but we’re our brothers and sisters keepers. I know that not only me one lost him. All of us will miss him, especially the Government High School staff and the students. (A lot of students) told me Kenm was (a) very lovely person and also his reputation and the community of The Grove where he grew up (people there have said) he is a very lovely person and (has) manners.

“Never had no trouble with no one… Even you hurt him, he’ll never speak. Even you knock him, you throw the ball at him, they said he’ll never say nothing. He’ll just look at you and say he’s alright.”

He recounted what a student told him about his son’s last moments.  

“One of the students tell me when he tried to help his friend, was the fight, and when he got stabbed. Then ran by the office, he fell at the office. After his friend start crying for him, he said ‘Now it’s alright. It’s okay,’” Mr Paul said. 

“I know Kenm is a lovely person. He grew up in the church, as myself, (I’m) a pastor in the Church of God in Christ. It is very hard for me but I let you know that Kenm grew up in church, he’s a church boy. When I tell him everything about his friend, he say ‘no Daddy I’ll always be there for my friends’ and before he died he shared an example with me that bringing tears in my eyes. (He said) ‘Daddy if you go in the shop, you would see a mash up can. They put the canned good (on the) side. When you open the can, don’t nothing be wrong with the can. They only get a little mash and they send it to the side.’

“I want to let you know that this morning students at Government High, they might criticise you. Keep pressing forward with your education because education is the key. He said, ‘Daddy ain’t nothing wrong to have a friend. As I grew up in the church, I have to be an example for other friends - for all my friends.’”

Although Assistant Superintendent Audley Peters could not say on the scene on Tuesday if the matter is gang-related or not, another RBPF representative at the service spoke about gangs as he discouraged students not to join one.

“We need to be exposing this gang culture now,” the officer said. “The more you keep silent the greater the gang grows. We have to expose the gang culture in our society. This is too small of a society. We can’t be a police officer just happy that we got two persons locked up. We tired of the killing.”

On Thursday, police arrested two juveniles in connection with the matter. Yesterday, police said the boys were still assisting officers with the investigation. They are expected to be arraigned today.