From Sky News

The youngster, whose mother had taken her to the island to help alleviate a blood disorder, was reportedly shot twice.

A family is in shock after a “happy, playful” British girl was killed by a gunman who opened fire in a cafe in Jamaica.

Imani Green, eight, was visiting relatives on the island with her mother when she was shot in the northwestern village of Duncans, in Trelawny.

Local journalist Nicky Williams told Sky News the attacker entered the premises – which was owned by a family member – on Friday evening and began arguing with another man shortly before the shooting.

Imani, from Balham, south London, is reported to have been shot twice, first in the head and then the shoulder. She was taken to hospital but later died. Three others were injured in the shooting.

Imani’s brother Dean Palmer, who is in his 20s, told Sky News he was completely devastated by the death of his sister, who he described as “an extremely brave girl”.

Speaking before he left the UK for Jamaica, he said Imani suffers from sickle-cell anaemia and visits relatives there twice a year to get away from cold weather that worsens her condition.

He said the family had been in two minds about whether to take her this time but the trip went ahead.

Deputy Superintendent Steve Brown, from Kingston Police, told Sky News officers were yet to establish a motive for the shooting.

“We do not know the motive. What we can confirm is that Imani was not the target of this shooting,” he said.

Imani’s head teacher at Fircroft Primary School, in Tooting, said everyone was “deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic news”.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, to whom we pledge our continuing love and support,” she said.

“Imani was a happy, playful child who was popular with staff and pupils alike.

“She dealt with her illness very bravely and coped well with the special arrangements we had to have in place to support her.

“She had been given special permission to travel to Jamaica so that she could benefit from the warmer climate and we had been in contact with the local primary school she was attending whilst there to make sure she was receiving an appropriate education.

“We are now in the process of contacting all the families of children in the same year group to break this terrible news to them and we will be taking steps to offer support and counselling.”

Imani’s cousin, Marco Dane, 17, who also lives in London, told Sky News: “She was a sweet, innocent girl. She always had a smile on her face.”

The British Foreign Office said: “We are providing consular assistance and liaising with local authorities.”

For more on this story go to:

http://news.sky.com/story/1037317/british-girl-8-killed-in-jamaica-gun-attack