SUNNY ISLE — Police want your help to find suspects in the slaying of two teenagers near the Sunny Isle Shopping Center on Monday night.
The 911 Emergency Call Center was notified of three male gunshot victims at the Juan F. Luis Hospital & Medical Center, brought in by private vehicle at 9:17 p.m. Monday, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
“Officers traveled to the hospital and found two of the gunshot victims unresponsive in a vehicle parked in front of the hospital, and learned that another victim was in the hospital receiving treatment,” VIPD spokesman Toby Derima said.
The unresponsive victims, identified as Odonnie “Shatta” Heywood of Concordia Manor and Jahny Ledesma of Canebrake Apartments, each 17 years old, were found to have no vital signs and were pronounced dead. The third adult victim received gunshot wounds about the body, and was listed in stable condition.
Shortly after, a fourth gunshot victim arrived at the hospital via private vehicle. He reported to police that he was in Castle Coakley, in the vicinity of Thomas Bakery, when he observed a vehicle approaching and heard gunfire.
He suffered a gunshot wound to the back and had a friend take him the hospital, where he was treated and released. The fourth victim’s accounting of what happened, along with Shot Spotter notifications, allowed officers to locate the crime scene to collect evidence.
Sean Santos, Sr., St. Croix District Chief of Police, denounced this shooting, sending condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.
“It is always sad when young men, full of promise, fall victim to senseless gun violence before that promise is realized,” Chief Santos said.
The chief encourages everyone who saw what happened to call 911, the Crime Tip Line at (340) 778-4950, or Crime Stoppers USVI at (800) 222-8477 or online at p3tips.com to bring those responsible to justice.