Peace march for Shannon

Lopez sprinkled flower petals on the pavement outside Pennywise.

On December 8, Shannon’s body was found on a shelf in a room on the third floor of the IAM & Co Ltd warehouse store on Charlotte Street. An autopsy confirmed murder as cause of death was given as Shannon being smothered. Outside the IAM & Co store, which remained closed, Lopez sprinkled flower petals and placed a teddy bear on the pavement.

She told Newsday that the march was not the end of Shannon’s cause as a foundation in her name has been established. “I think things went really good today and I’m happy that people came out to support us. This is not going to be the end of it. We have to continue to fight for justice for Shannon and all the children who have gone missing,” Lopez said.

Asked where she gets her strength from to continue in the days and weeks after her daughter’s murder, Lopez looked skyward.

“From God. He gives me strength.

Everything that Shannon would have wanted is what I am doing for her. She has given me and He (God) has given me that strength, because we believe that with God nothing is impossible.” Shoppers, vendors and store-workers of downtown warmly greeted the marchers, even joining in to shout the slogan, “We want justice!” Preaching over a loudspeaker, Pastor Clive Dottin said the march must be a tipping point to set hearts on fire to take back the nation from criminality. “Shannon was a pure girl, a diamond,” he said.

To date no charge has been brought in the case as Shannon’s killer continues to walk free.