Young boys were overcome with emotion yesterday when the mother of Bermuda's latest murder victim went into schools to talk about the pain of violence.

A number of students aged between 11 and 14 broke down and cried at Dellwood Middle School at the end of Marsha Jones' moving talk on the death of her son Shaundae last weekend.

The 20-year-old was gunned down after enjoying a night out at Club Malabar in Dockyard with his friends on Sunday. He died soon after of a single gunshot wound to his chest.

Ms Jones went to Dellwood and Berkeley Institute yesterday morning to talk to young men and some parents about the effects of violence and the lasting impact it could have on a number of people.

She explained how Shaundae, who was a bright student at Bermuda College, had been her only child. Now she would never see him get married or have children.

Ms Jones, 49, of Smith's Avenue, Warwick, told how the only other living relative she had was her mother, who suffered from Alzheimer's Disease.

Throughout the talk, the 150 boys sat in silence as the reality of violence hit home. And some of them put their heads in their hands to hide their tears.

But it was when Amir Ming, 13, went to present cards and flowers to Ms Jones at the end on behalf of the school that the emotion of the discussion was fully felt.

Unable to speak, standing at the front of the hall, he broke down and was only able to hug the grieving mother instead.

Principal Idonia Beckles said the aim of the talk was to make her male pupils think about acts of violence and the reality of them, in the hope that they would walk away from it in the future. Judging from the boys' response, she believed it had had the right impact.

"It was very emotional," she said. "I was proud of our boys for being so respectful. We could tell that they really listened to what she had to say.

"A presentation was made at the end with some flowers and cards from the school, but the young boy became very emotional in presenting it and some of the other boys had to cover their faces, too.

"We generally believe that young boys feel invincible, but this seemed to bring them pretty close to reality and made them think of other people.

"When something like this happens, there is usually a lot more than one victim. The families are victims. too."

A handful of parents also attended the talks and they were also visibly moved by Ms Jones' comments.

Some spoke at the end, some hugged Ms Jones, and others visibly agreed with the grieving mother when she urged the boys to listen to their parents, even if they thought they were being harsh.

She said her son had been told to stay away from Club Malabar two weeks' earlier after being involved in a fight there, but had gone back.

And Ms Jones said that too should be a lesson to the young pupils, as they should always strive to make good choices.

Ms Beckles said: "Hopefully, it will have had a lasting effect on the boys, if not on all of them, at least one, and then it will have been worth it.

"I think Amir spoke for everyone today, though. He was not alone in how he felt."