Jamaican Footballer Tarania Clarke Stabbed to Death in a Row over Mobile Phone in Jamaica

Tarania Clarke, captain of Jamaican National Premier League side Waterhouse FC, was reported to be stabbed to death on Friday.

Clarke, 20, was reported to be attacked in the country’s capital- Kingston on Friday night. The reason for the attack was given as a row with another woman over mobile phone.

She was confirmed dead on the spot. The Jamaican Football Federation (JFF), issued a statement on Twitter following her death, that read: “The JFF mourns the loss of Tarania Clarke who was injured and sadly passed away last night having succumbed to her injuries.

“We express our deepest condolences to her family and friends during this very challenging time. Jamaica’s female football suffers a significant loss as she was a very talented player.”

Michael Ricketts, President of the Jamaica Football Federation, added: “The Jamaica Football Federation is indeed deeply saddened by the untimely passing of young Ms Clarke, someone who would have shown so much promise, not just as a player but as a person.

“I must use this opportunity to personally and certainly on behalf of the JFF extend my most profound condolences to the immediate family members and friends of Ms Clarke, her school family at Excelsior and of course her club Waterhouse.

“The JFF must give as much support as we can during this time of bereavement to her mother and close friends. Indeed, we are truly saddened.

“I want to use this opportunity to implore our young persons to find different ways to solve our issues than just taking the lives of your loved ones.”

Xavier Gilbert, Clarke’s coach at Excelsior high school, told Jamaica-based cable TV station SportsMax that she was planning on moving to the United States in January to attend university in Florida.

“We were very close. She was captain for the last three years and was a wonderful leader, a wonderful person,” he said. “It hurts right now. It’s really sad. She did not deserve this. This really rough right now.”