CHRISTIANSTED — A St. Croix man was shot to death at the island’s largest auto repair center early this morning — and the grisly, deadly scene was all captured on the company’s video surveillance system.
Aaron “SavageJuice” Joseph, 27, of Grove Place, was shot to death at H.H. Tire & Battery in Estate Pearl shortly before 8:17 a.m. today, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
“After arrival to the location, officers found an unresponsive Black male sitting in a vehicle with gunshot wounds,” VIPD spokesman Toby Derima said.
Police at the scene said a 2001 Toyota Highlander stolen from Altona Lagoon last night was used in this morning’s shooting at H.H. Tire & Battery, which is less than one-quarter mile away from the Limetree Bay Refinery on St. Croix’s South Shore.
Joseph, an employee of H.H. Tire & Battery, sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the upper body. His vehicle, a silver Toyota RAV4 SUV, was riddled with bullet holes from the shooting.
Surveillance video from H.H. Tire & Battery, which was leaked anonymously online, shows the RAV4 in the parking lot of the auto repair center with Joseph in the driver’s seat inside.
When Joseph’s RAV4 stops, the stolen Toyota Highlander appears in the frame of the video.
Three men — the driver first — exit the Highlander and move rapidly to the parked RAV4.
The driver of the Highlander approaches the driver’s side of the RAV4 and starts to shoot. Two other men also exit the Highlander.
One man has a machine gun and begins shooting at the RAV4 from a distance.
All three men then get back into the stolen Toyota Highlander and flee the scene.
Emergency Medical Technicians on the scene concluded that Joseph “had no vital signs,” according to Derima.
On social media, Joseph said that he attended the St. Croix Educational Complex High School.
He was positively identified by family members as being the shooting victim today, according to police.
Meanwhile, tributes to the life of Joseph the man abounded on social media today.
“I am so tired of typing this, Aaron SavageJuice Joseph mahn from Arthur to Complex,” Nakita Williams said on Facebook today. “Rest Easy Mahn this really bothers me????Tell Lenn Hail up.”
“I can’t believe you gone?,” Kwaniie Dan said on Facebook today. “I literally just talked to you couple days ago bro. This is so sad. Rest Easy Cousin ❤️‼️ Gone Too Soon. I Love You Aaron ?”
This case is under active investigation. Detectives are urging anyone with information on this incident to call 911, the Crime Tip Line at (340) 778-4950 or the paying anonymous tip line to Crime Stoppers USVI at (800) 222-TIPS (8477).