Children lead peace march after toddler’s death

One week after gunmen forced their way into a Nelson Street, Kingston home and opened fire, killing three-year-old Jace 'Zaza' Pinnock and injuring his eight-year-old brother and father, the streets of Denham Town filled with the voices of children chanting, "We want peace."

The killing reignited fears about children being caught in escalating violence, and forced a grieving community to confront who now carries the burden of calling for calm.

"It breaks my heart fi see the likkle pickney dem a march alone, everybody stand up a watch," said Janice, a resident who observed Tuesday's procession from Rose Lane. "Dem fi deh a school, learning; not on the road begging grown people fi stop kill them one another."

The fatal attack occurred on February 21, when armed men reportedly entered the family's house and opened fire before fleeing. The injured were rushed to hospital, where the toddler was pronounced dead. His father Kiero Pinnock died days later. The Denham Town police continue the investigations. By Tuesday, grief had shifted into movement, led largely by students.

Children from Central Branch All-Age, North Street Primary, Chetolah Park Primary, St Annie's Primary and Infant, and Joseph Royal Educational Centre schools marched from Craig Town into neighbouring streets before stopping outside Edward Seaga Primary and Infant School, where Jace had been enrolled. The turnout was overwhelmingly made up of children. Few residents joined the procession. Placards reading 'Stop the Violence' and 'Give Peace a Chance' were raised as students chanted in unison. Police officers and soldiers walked alongside them, positioning themselves at intersections and at the front and rear of the group to ensure their safety. At one point, an officer stepped forward and began leading some of the youngest students in song outside Jace's school, where the marchers paused to honour the infant.

"They are aware that they are marching for peace," said Vernardo Bowans, guidance counsellor at Central Branch. "We took the initiative and we ran with it."

"If we can promote peace with our children, it starts with them. They are the future and violence is not the order of the day," he added. "They are singing ' All we are saying is give peace a chance' and they are also shouting that we want peace. The community was receptive of us."

But the environment along the route underscored deeper realities. Open drains carried stagnant water. Peeling paint clung to concrete walls. Zinc fences rattled as children passed.

"Walking through the streets, nothing has changed in terms of the infrastructure," one observer noted. "You still have filthy water running, you still have houses in disrepair, still have people seemingly out of work. But it is good that we have our children of this age chanting 'We want peace'."

Janice said that contrast was difficult to ignore.

"When you see children holding up 'Stop the violence' signs, you really have to stop and wonder what kind of country we are building for them," she told THE STAR. "Mi grow up in this same place. Violence always deh yah, years and years and years of grief we endure."

While she described the march as "a beautiful thing to witness", she insisted that children should not carry the emotional burden of adult conflict.

"Dem might too young fi understand gunshot and trauma, but nuh think say dem nuh know fear," she said. "They shouldn't have to bear the conscience of this community."

The march formed part of activities linked to Peace and Love in Society (PALS), which has worked with schools across the island for nearly three decades promoting conflict resolution and peace education.

Janilee Abrikian, PALS's executive director, said the programme was created as an islandwide initiative and continues to see strong interest from schools.

"Every year the interest remains very high," she said, noting that structured training in conflict resolution and problem-solving remains central to the programme.

"Peace is active and not passive."