Police: JC student in assault video not in custody, no complaint filed yet

A top police official has confirmed that the Jamaica College (JC) student seen in a viral video violently slapping a schoolmate in the face is not in custody.

Further, acting Senior Superintendent Mark Harris, commanding officer for the St Andrew Central police, confirmed on Monday that the parents of the boy who was attacked have not yet filed a complaint.

However, Harris said the police have intervened and are “making progress in the matter, hoping that everybody cooperates.”

“He’s not yet arrested, but we are doing some intervention at the school,” Harris told The Gleaner on Monday.

The senior cop explained that in cases where a complainant goes to a police station wilfully, “we start the process.”

“But if we have to go to the school, we make sure the institution is aware, and the parents are aware, then we look at the route that they are planning to take because without the student reporting it or without the student and the consent of the parents, the police cannot do much,” he said.

JC principal Wayne Robinson acknowledged, in a message to “stakeholders”, that the Old Hope Road-based all-boy school is aware of a video “which has depicted some of our students in a disturbing incident.”

He said the school “immediately” commenced an investigation on April 18 “when it was brought to our attention.”

“We are treating this as an urgent and serious matter,” the message said.

The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information is also conducting an investigation into the incident, it confirmed on Monday.

Also on Monday, a team from the education ministry, led by Parliamentary Secretary Senator Marlon Morgan, visited the institution.

Details about the incident, including when it occurred, are not immediately available.

The 56-second video recording emerged on social media over the weekend.

In the clip, several boys are seen surrounding a fellow student before one of them holds him by the collar with one of his hands.

He then used the other hand to slap the student in the face repeatedly.

Another boy could be seen striking him several times with what appears to be a belt.

The boy doing the slapping asked questions about money.

- Livern Barrett

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