A daring daylight robbery yesterday left canteen staff, students and teachers of the Parkinson School in a state of shock.Reports from sources at the school indicate that it was just about 12:55 p.m. when two masked men burst open the canteen door and made off with the money from the day’s sales.Workers said one shot was fired. The incident occurred shortly after students had finished lunch and returned to their classrooms.One shaken canteen worker recounted the event to friends who tried to console her, as she watched the Island Care ambulance taking away the canteen’s owner Nancy Lynch. Lynch, with a breathing apparatus on her face, was whisked from the scene for medical attention.“We was there cleaning up, when I heard the door burst open, and when I looked around I saw two masked men. I start to run and scream murder, murder, and then everybody was scrambling,” the worker said.Another canteen worker fell as she tried to run away and bruised her elbows. She said another woman had a gun placed in her chest, while the men took the money from the till before fleeing the scene.Education ministry officials and nearly a dozen police officers converged at the school which has a roll of 850 students.When the SATURDAY SUN team arrived, policemen were searching for a spent gunshot shell and clues.Concerned principal of the school, Orson Alleyne, deemed it a “brazen act in broad daylight.”“It is frightening to think that in this society we can come to the point where people can think they can come onto a school compound and perform such acts, and in broad daylight,” he stated. Alleyne complimented the police officers for their quick response.Acting Chief Education officer Laurie King, who was also on the scene said the incident was indeed scary.“It is a most unfortunate incident, one that you would not expect to hear of on a daily basis, but the fact that it happened on the compound in broad daylight is great concern for us, taking into consideration there were so many students on the compound,” he stated.Station Sargeant Victor Brewster of the District “A” Police Station, confirmed that the “day’s takings” had been stolen and that the owner of the canteen had been in shock and had to seek medical attention. He said it was also reported that a shot had been fired.
