CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A badly-wounded gunshot victim crawled into a St. Thomas fire station last night and was still alive when police arrived but ultimately died in the hospital after being shot in the neck, authorities said.
Virgin Islands Police Department Officers of the Richard N. Callwood Command and Criminal Investigation Bureau responded to a call from the Emile C. Berry Fire Station in Dorothea on St. Thomas of a wounded gunshot victim about 9:22 p.m. on Wednesday.
VIPD officers arrived on the scene and found an unnamed man who appeared to have suffered a gunshot wound to the neck area.
With Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) on the scene, the victim was transported to the Schneider Regional Medical Center by ambulance where the male victim later died.
Criminal Investigation Bureau officers’ preliminary investigation revealed that the unnamed man was shot elsewhere and drove himself to the Dorothea Fire Station seeking refuge.
Meanwhile, a St. Thomas resident criticized the number of homicides that have been notched in the territory to date.
“That’s what’s going on in our Islands,” Kenneth Moolenaar said on one of the Virgin Islands Free Press‘ social media platforms. “Can’t go out at night anymore we are prisoners in our own homes. That’s not Living! Our home has been turned into a Hell Hole. Kill kill kill kill is the norm of the day. It’s all the Drugs.”
The identity of the murder victim is being withheld until notification of the next of kin has been accomplished.
As of 6:20 p.m. today, VIPD spokesman Karl Caesar said police had not been able to reach the dead man’s relatives.
Anyone having any information about this or any other crime please contact the Virgin Islands Police Department at (340) 774-2211 ext. 5617, Major Crime Unit at (340) 714-9830 or the Criminal Investigation Bureau (340) 714-9807. You can also contact Crime Stoppers at 1(800)222-8477 or 911. We need your help and the entire community’s involvement.