Courtesy of LOOP NEWS
Someone who loved Christopher Birch is probably crying right now. A wife has lost her husband, two infants have lost their father and society has lost a good human being and a very productive member to a violent death.
Birch,33, was murdered in front of his family members at their Harbour View home during a robbery attempt on Monday morning.
Details are still unclear but Loop News understands that at least two gunmen entered the Birch household at about 3am, demanded property and shot the software developer multiple times when their demands were not met. The lowlifes reportedly escaped with electronic devices including a laptop.
Tributes to Birch, who was a devoted Christian, have been pouring in on social media since news of his death broke.
His former classmates at Wolmer’s Boys’ School remembered him as a kind, fun-loving individual who “couldn’t hurt a fly”.
“He was a spiritual brother, unafraid and unashamed of speaking about the Gospel with a natural comfort that was very unusual for someone his age,” Dennis Boothe, who was a member of the 1998 class with Birch, said on Facebook.
“He loved our school as we all do, but in a way that stood out even back then, and he took his job as a school prefect seriously, often leading the entire school in morning devotions. No matter who you were at Wolmer’s, you knew Chris and respected him,” Boothe added.
Another member of the class of 1998 and Birch’s Christian “brother”, Dwayne Fuller said: “I am broken by the passing of my friend and brother Christopher Birch. My prayer is for God’s grace to be abundant in this time of grief.”
What makes Birch’s death even more difficult to accept for many is that it came at an exciting time in his life.
He recently welcomed a new addition to his family and was looking forward to next week’s launch of a new version of KRAAS Images, the Caribbean stock photo agency he co-founded with Staysean Daley.
Daley was said to be overseas and unable to comment at this time. However, Jamaican tech industry pioneer Ingrid Riley said she was “really taken aback by this senseless killing” and noted that the tech community is in mourning.
“It’s such a fantastic business, the Caribbean’s answer to Getty Images,” said Riley of KRAAS.
“Just last week they were having some technical issues and I was helping them,” the ConnectiMass executive director added.
Meanwhile, Birch’s murder has reminded Jamaicans once again that their lives are in constant jeopardy of ending violently.
“How can anyone keep hope in humanity with these senseless acts?” a friend of Birch posted on Facebook.
Year to date, up to November 26, data collected by Loop News revealed that the country’s murder rate was up by 20 per cent compared to the corresponding period last year. Police blotters indicated that some 1,112 murders were committed since the start of 2015.
“Crime is messing with the development of our talent,” said Riley.
She added: “It is scaring off our investments.”
http://www.loopjamaica.com/content/friends-colleagues-saddened-senseless-killing-christopher-birch
:sorry
SIP Chris
Gone but certainly will ever forget u :sorry
So sad, RIP Chris, I pray this was not a set up. You just never know. Smh in dismay.
If he was wicked and heartless man he would be still alive. But Satan doesn’t want anyone preaching the LORD’S gospel boldly. May you find eternal rest and memory live on.
One of the nicest, kindest, most genuine persons. RIP Birch…still in shock
I would recommend they look at his friends and partners. Sounds fishy, seems like they were there to kill him, robbery was just a cover up.
Be careful of the persons in your circle. Sad!!
Still in shock RIP Chris