Here in Belize especially at SJC high school and at the junior college faculty staff and former classmates of Damon Thompson are in shock and were in total disbelief upon hearing what happened. Thompson was known as very bright, disciplined and industrious. We spoke to his former chemistry teacher, Father Steve Mitten, the head of the Math and Science Departments at the sixth form.
Fr. Steve Mitten, SJC JC
“Well my first reaction was like being kicked in the stomach by a mule. It was just kind of wow, overwhelming, sadness and grief, shock, traumatized in the sense of feeling pain for the girl, Damon, his family, everyone involved -the students that might have witnessed it.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“How do you recommend Damon, I understand he was a very top student here at SJC?”
Fr. Steve Mitten,
“Damon always sat in the front seat up front in center, quiet, shy,
very responsible, dependable, assignments were on time or done before time, he would ask me to look at it to see whether or not it was correct. So he was very conscientious and responsible.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“Was he a student who was easily stressed?”
Fr. Steve Mitten,
“I never found him so. He was very determined. He was a triple major in biochemistry and math so he was taking lots of courses with many credits. He seemed to be able to handle it well.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“What is the feeling among the faculty and staff here who interacted with Damon Thompson?”
Fr. Steve Mitten,
“I think it is shock and grief and sadness and why and how and a feeling of sympathy for his family and for the young girl that was victimized.”
But while the former SJC graduate did not show any signs of trouble, US media reports say that a history professor at UCLA told a university administrator ten months ago that he was concerned about Thompson’s mental health and that other professors had similar issues with Thompson – who felt he was being mocked by professors and fellow students.
Damon D Thompson who was raised in single parent home left Belize two years ago to enrol at UCLA. At this time LA Police say they do not have a motive for the stabbing but understand that the accused and the victim only shared lab together as students and worked in groups on projects.
We should note that there is also a racial dynamic at work here: Thompson is black and an immigrant and his victim is white. Regrettably, at least one clearly racist US news site has pounced on that racist angle – implying that Thompson is from a backward country and was not admitted to UCLA based on his academic merit. Like we said, the comments are regrettable and terribly ignorant – but they are out there.
