Whim Man Arrested On Illegal Gun Charges In Connection To Woman Shot In Back At Housing Project

Whim Man Arrested On Illegal Gun Charges In Connection To Woman Shot In Back At Housing Project

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.