FREDERIKSTED — An St. Croix man was arrested Thursday morning and charged with illegal gun charges in connection to a shooting that left an innocent female bystander shot in the back, authorities said.
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.
“Swanston was identified as one of the shooters in an incident which resulted in a woman being shot at the Walter I.M. Hodge Pavilion housing community,” VIPD spokesman Toby Derima said.
Bail for Swanston was set at $75,000. Unable to post bail, he was remanded to the custody of the Virgin Islands Bureau of Corrections pending an advice-of-rights hearing.
The target of the intended assassination, Jahamon Bruce, 22, of Walter I.M. Hodge Pavilion was charged with carrying of a firearm openly or concealed on Wednesday, according to the VIPD.