Premier Michael Dunkley has urged calm in the community after the death of a teenage student.

He also called on islanders to continue to pray for the family of Shijuan Jackaire Mungal who died on Thursday.

Mr Dunkley said the 16-year-old’s death was an ‘unimaginably tragic incident, which has left a community, several families and countless young people in a state of mourning and disbelief’.

And the Premier said Government was mobilising a coordinated effort of support in the wake of the incident to address ‘the grief being experienced by those immediately affected’.

“I want to ask all of Bermuda to please continue to pray for young Shijuan Mungal’s family and friends,” he said.

“The public should be assured that I have asked for the appropriate support services to be mobilised to address the grief and concern being experienced by all affected by this tragic event.

“In addition to counselling services being provided at various Governmental levels, there will also be community engagement and crisis intervention provided by a series of social and helping agencies.

“As such, I want to urge calm as this matter progresses.

“At this juncture however, I again want to simply ask all of Bermuda to keep all those affected, particularly the family of Shijuan Mungal in their thoughts and prayers as they navigate through this very difficult time.”

Meanwhile Acting Commissioner of Education, Dr Lou Matthews, also extended the department’s condolences to the family of a dead student.

In a statement Dr Matthews, said: “Shijuan was a student in the Bermuda public school system. Shijuan leaves many classmates mourning his death.

“Several schools have provided additional grief counselling and support services for students.”

Kiahna Shaunee Trott Edwards, 31, from Paget has been charged with the murder of Shijuan Mungal.

• On occasion The Royal Gazette may decide to not allow comments on what we consider to be a controversial or contentious story. As we are legally liable for any defamatory comments made on our website, this move is for our protection as well as that of our readers.