FREDERIKSTED — Two St. Croix brothers were arrested in a 24-hour period and charged in connection to the shooting of an innocent female bystander at Walter I.M. Hodge Pavilion on Wednesday, authorities said. The unidentified woman survived the shooting.
Rahkeem S. Swanston, 20, of Estate Whim was arrested at 10:15 a.m. Thursday and charged with third-degree assault, reckless endangerment, carrying a firearm openly or concealed, aiming and discharging a firearm, and possession of ammunition, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
On Friday, Rahkeem’s brother, Zomari K. Swanston, 30, of Estate Whim was arrested at 10:15 a.m. on charges of third-degree assault, reckless endangerment, carrying a firearm openly or concealed, aiming and discharging a firearm, and possession of ammunition, according to the VIPD.
“The Swanston brothers were identified as shooters in an incident which resulted in a woman being shot at the Walter I.M. Hodge Pavilion housing community on July 1,” VIPD spokesman Toby Derima said today.
The unidentified female was shot in the back after the two Swanston brothers allegedly tried to shoot 22-year-old Jahamon Bruce on Wednesday morning. Bruce was was lured to the parking lot of Walter I.M. Hodge Pavilion by the two brothers after they allegedly damaged Bruce’s vehicle.
Bail for Rahkeem Swanston was set at $75,000; while bail for Zomari Swanston was set at $25,000.
Neither man was able to post bail. They were remanded to the custody of the Virgin Islands Bureau of Corrections pending advice-of-rights hearings.
Walter I.M. Hodge Pavilion is located in Estate Smithfield. It is managed by the Virgin Islands Housing Authority (VIHA).
The VIHA is run by executive director Robert Graham.
