CHRISTIANSTED — A St. Croix man was shot dead at the Harmony Grocery Store near the Watergut Shanty when an argument escalated past the point of words late last night.
Police said 59-year-old Kelvin “Gerbil” Woodson died before 10:19 p.m. Wednesday when the first calls came into 911 of a “man down.”
The incident occurred at the Harmony Groceries and Bar West Lane in Christiansted, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
Police arrived on the scene found one man with multiple gunshot wounds about the body” lying on the floor inside the store.
“There was an argument inside of Harmony Groceries and Bar West Lane, Christiansted, between the suspect and the victim,” VIPD spokesman Glen Dratte said. “The suspect pulled out a gun and shot him numerous times about the body.”
A concerned citizen tried to stop the assailant and was grazed by a bullet, according to Dratte.
Woodson’s dead body was identified by family members, police said.
There have been 11 homicides in the territory in 2019 — eight on St. Croix and three on St. Thomas.
This incident is under active investigation by the Criminal Investigation Bureau.
Anyone with information about the shooting death is asked to please call the CIB at 340-778-2211, Crime Stoppers USVI at 1-800-222-8477 or 911.