Athlete, honor student remembered for 'generosity, and comforting spirit'

Students and staff at both Kean High School and the University of the Virgin Islands are mourning the death of 17-year-old Kareem L. Pinney, who was tragically gunned down early Sunday morning on St. Thomas.

“Pinney was a freshman residing on campus enrolled in classes that would have led to a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Mathematics from the College of Science and Mathematics. Pinney was mortally wounded when gunshots were fired near his family home at Grandview Apartments Housing Community,” according to a statement by UVI Monday. Today, a memorial space for reflection will be set up for students in the East Residence Hall to share their thoughts and feelings, and a vigil is being planned.

The Kean High School Class of 2024 also issued a statement online, mourning their classmate and offering condolences to Pinney’s loved ones. “He was an extraordinary young man who was loved throughout the campus halls and by so many for his kindness, generosity, and comforting spirit. It is difficult to find the right words to express how much he meant to all of us as a class,” according to the statement. “Kareem was such a well-rounded young man, an athlete, an honor student, and had plans to further his education. May his legacy of love and compassion continue to live on.”