CHRISTIANSTED — A Frederiksted man shot dead a Sion Farm man near a popular Sunny Isle-area convenience store this afternoon, authorities said.
Anselmo Cruse, 33, of Castle Burke was arrested and charged with voluntary manslaughter, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
Cruse allegedly admitted that he shot to death Shamal “Indian” Riviere, 30, of Sion Farm near Lew Muckle Elementary School and Mutiny Vodka’s production plant just after 4 p.m. today, according to the VIPD.
The 911 Emergency Call Center received a call from a concerned citizen regarding shots being fired in Sion Farm about 4:07 p.m. today
“Officers traveled to the area and found an unresponsive Black male with gunshot wounds,” VIPD spokesman Toby Derima said. “A male individual on the scene informed officers that he shot and killed the victim.”
Based on the individual’s statement and additional information, police arrested Cruse, according to Derima.
The VIPD said in a prepared statement that the Sion Farm death resulted from “an argument between friends (that) turned deadly.”
Bail for Cruse was set at $125,000. Unable to post bail, he was remanded to the custody of the Virgin Islands Bureau of Corrections pending an advice-of-rights hearing.
The VIPD said it was searching for Riviere in connection to a first-degree assault case on Feburary 13.
The victim of the incident was identified by family members as Riviere.
Police are actively investigating this case at the current time.
If you have any information that can assist officers, please call 911, the Crime Tip Line at (340) 778-4950, or submit your tip anonymously to Crime Stoppers USVI at (800) 222-TIPS (8477).
