Student, 14, Commits Suicide In School Toilets

A 14-YEAR-OLD student from Florida committed
suicide in his school's toilets after allegedly
enduring a campaign of bullying from fellow
students.
Lamar Hawkins III used his father’s gun to shoot
himself last Wednesday (Sept 10) at Greenwood
Lakes Middle School, reports local station WESH .
The family told WESH the weapon had been
stored properly.
Shaniqua Hawkins, Lamar’s mother, said the
family moved from New York to Florida to escape
bullying, but it continued despite the move.
"Shaq was always so positive despite being
tormented by bullies. We believed him to be a
very happy boy," she said.
Lamar, who was called Shaq by family, had
stunted growth. His mother believes this made
him an easy target for bullies who continued
tormenting the teen despite the family voicing
their concerns to the school.
“I felt paralysed by the inability to make the
bullying stop at school,” she told WESH. “I
watched him walk out the door of our home and
knew there was a very good chance others would
be cruel to him.”
Hundreds of community members gathered at a
vigil for Hawkins last week.