In response to recent bouts of violence and serious crime, a few students at Victor Scott Primary School, in Pembroke, expressed concern, distress and grief to some teachers. They decided to express themselves in writing, in the hope that their messages would get out to those who are committing violent crimes and those who refuse to share their knowledge of such crimes. Here are their messages in full, exactly as they were written by the nine-year-old pupils.

We are tired of all the fighting and shooting.

I am scared to walk home.

Last night I had to walk home in the dark and I was scared.

I felt like I had a bad luck dream.

It is so wrong.

We can't do anything like go outside to play or go to your friend's house.

It is hard to live in a neighbourhood with violence.

I pray that the next day will not be unhappy.

I hope that the girls on the street don't do anything else bad.

All girls have a personality that makes them smart, Intelligent, and beautiful.

As a citizen of Bermuda I say that we need to fight to be happy but not fight to kill.

I love this country and I wish we did not have violence.

Have you ever wanted to live your life and be free? Well my cousin hasn't been there, he got shot in his head three times.

He is dead. I was really sad. All the people that I know are dead right now.

Did you know when you kill everyone you will be the last person on earth. You will be so sorry you'll wish that you didn't do it. So it's the right time to put guns away and live your life. Your life right now is nothing. Do you know how much people are dying of gun shots? A lot. so it's the right time to stop but you don't have to listen to us it's your decision.

We are angry because of all the stuff that has been happening in Bermuda. It has destroyed our world. It has been killing our families. It is starting violence. This makes a gang. We are scared to walk home by ourselves. We are scared to talk to people.

WE NEED YOUR HELP RIGHT NOW!!!!

As a member of Bermuda I would like to say everything that is happening is crazy madness. All the violence is taking its toll on us. How do you expect a young child to grow up in all this madness? They're going to do the same thing that they saw being done to other people. So stop this madness.

A bad thing is supposed to destroy the earth but it already is destroyed by us. Stop and think for a moment, why are we doing this for? Just answer that question because everything has a reason. If you don't know your reason just stop the madness.

I am tired of finding out that the next day

Somebody is getting killed.

I am tired that murderers are hurting

Innocent people

I am scared that one of the shooting's happened by my school that's really scary.

I am also scared that the other shooting happened on Friswells Hill Lane and I live there that's why I'm scared.

I JUST WANT TO SAY TO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SHOOTING

STOP PLEASE!

I just want to tell the police

TRY YOUR BEST

I want to tell the adults

Don't worry

And I want to ask the murderers why are you doing this?

Stop with the violence now please. I don't like how this is going. Stop it.

It makes me sick.

It's not just me feeling sick everybody is feeling sick.

Now stop with the shooting.

Stop with the killing

And the Bad news.

And the gangs that are happening now days like boy gangs and girls gangs.

The girls are getting worse and worse and so are the boys.

I want to be happy again.

VICTOR SCOTT STUDENTS