Gunfire and violence in Virgin Islands will make any visitor from Chicago feel right at home

Gunfire and violence in Virgin Islands will make any visitor from Chicago feel right at home
St. Croix depends heavily on tourists for its economy. Hotels, snorkeling, restaurants and nightclubs are filled with visitors. THE PRIVATEER CLAUSE photo

Wounded man flees shooter in Smith Bay

 

St. Croix depends heavily on tourists for its economy. Hotels, snorkeling, restaurants and nightclubs are filled with visitors.  THE PRIVATEER CLAUSE photo
St. Croix depends heavily on tourists for its economy. Hotels, snorkeling, restaurants and nightclubs are filled with visitors. THE PRIVATEER CLAUSE photo

ST. THOMAS – A man was shot in the thigh in Smith Bay on Tuesday night after a week of multiple violent gun-related incidents throughout the territory.

Emergency medical responders received a 911 call at 7:25 p.m., reporting a gunshot victim in Smith Bay, and transported the man to Schneider Hospital, according to police.

Officers responded to the hospital at 7:30 p.m., where the man told them he had been in the area of Lake’s Chicken Fry when he heard gunshots being fired. The man immediately got up and began running, and he had been shot and blood was running down his leg, according to police.

St. Croix harbor at Christiansted. THE PRIVATEER CLAUSE photo
St. Croix harbor at Christiansted. THE PRIVATEER CLAUSE photo

The man was not able to provide officers with a description of who shot him, police said.

Emerald Princess docking at St. Croix. THE PRIVATEER CLAUSE photo
Emerald Princess docking at St. Croix. THE PRIVATEER CLAUSE photo

Tuesday night’s shooting is the first police have reported in St. Thomas this week, but it follows a string of violence on St. Croix.

Six separate shooting incidents in Frederiksted since Friday left 10 victims injured, two of whom are in critical condition.

Explorer of the Seas at St. Croix.  THE PRIVATEER CLAUSE photo
Explorer of the Seas at St. Croix. THE PRIVATEER CLAUSE photo

Senators expressed concern over the recent violence in the territory during the Legislative session on Tuesday, and police said a press conference will be scheduled to discuss plans to deal with the crime, especially as the Crucian Christmas Carnival ramps up.

There is no sign that this particular incident is gang-related, according to V.I. Police spokeswoman Sakeeda Freeman, who said she is not sure what is causing the violence to escalate.

Detectives of the Criminal Investigation Bureau are following the matter closely, according to police.

Anyone with information regarding this incident can contact the Criminal Investigation Bureau at 714-9807 ext. 5556 or the anonymous tip service Crime Stoppers USVI at 1-800-222-8477 or go to www.crimestoppersusvi.org.  MORE

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