UWI mourns slain student, plans vigil

The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus community is holding a vigil in tribute to final-year law student Daquan Roberts, who was fatally shot in Bridgetown on Tuesday.

Along with the vigil on April 25, the grief stricken community is also holding an anti-gun violence walk at the Peace Pole on campus.

Roberts joined the Faculty of Law in the 2023/2024 academic year and has been highly spoken of as a committed and highperforming student, the campus said in a release yesterday.

Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Clive Landis expressed deep sadness at the loss, which has had an emotional impact on both students and staff. He added that the campus was providing counselling support to students and staff along with regulatory flexibility during the period of grief, which coincided with the examination period.

“The Cave Hill Campus community is deeply shocked and saddened by this tragic and senseless death. At this difficult time, our thoughts are with the family of Daquan Roberts, his friends, classmates, and all who are affected by this loss. As the students prepare for examinations, we will be utilising all provisions in the exam regulations that allow flexibility for those who feel they are unable to sit their exam at this time,” Landis said the release.

Interim Dean of the Faculty of Law, Dr Antonius Hippolyte, also offered condolences to Roberts’ loved ones and said the student was widely regarded as promising and was well respected by both colleagues and lecturers.

“The mood in the faculty is quite sombre as Daquan was well liked among his peers and by all indications had left quite the impression on his lecturers. Daquan, who was a bright and promising student will be greatly missed. I wish to extend condolences to his friends and family as they navigate this difficult period.”

Lecturer in the Faculty of Law, Carla Ali described the late student as hardworking and dedicated, with a deep passion for the law driven by curiosity and a strong commitment to excellence.

“Humble in spirit and generous in nature, Daquan was always ready to lend a helping hand to those around him. He became an integral part of the faculty’s community and a familiar presence within the Law Library.

“His academic achievements, reflected by commendable grades over a continuous period, spoke to his discipline and intellectual strength. Yet, those who knew him will remember just as vividly his warm smile, kind heart, and engaging personality,” she said.

President of The UWI Cave Hill Guild of Students, Ajay Gordon, knew Roberts throughout their three years of study and the two had planned to pursue further legal studies together at Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and Tobago in the upcoming academic year.

Recalling this as the second time in recent years he has lost a classmate, Gordon added that he saw Roberts on the campus hours before his death.

“I remember fondly how easily he broke down difficult concepts of law to me and how passionate he was in lectures and tutorials. He always sat at the front and was intrigued by jurisprudence,” he said. ( AC/PR)

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