CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A St. Thomas man who was caught on camera assaulting another man outside an airport-area convenience store on Saturday morning has been arrested.
Kishawn “Shawn” Berkeley, 42, was arrested at 10:00 a.m. Monday and charged with third-degree assault and simple assault & battery, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
The incident occurred outside Happy View Market in Lindbergh Bay on Saturday (November 26) at about 8:00 a.m., according to the VIPD.
The 911 Emergency Call Center dispatched officers to the restaurant and deli located at 8316 Lindbergh Bay regarding an assault, but they were unable to find the victim at that time, police said.
Officers and detectives were later dispatched to the Schneider Regional Medical Center (SRMC) regarding the same assault and made contact with the alleged victim, according to police.
The victim stated that while he was outside of Happy View Market in the area of Lindbergh Bay, he was struck in the face by an unknown male causing him to fall down and get a laceration to his head, the VIPD said in a sworn statement.
The victim stated that he did not know why the suspect struck him to his face nor is he familiar with the suspect, but he knows him to frequent the area, according to the VIPD.
Later that evening, detectives obtained surveillance footage of the incident and were able to
identify who the suspect and victim were in this matter, police said.
In the footage, the suspect is seen shoving the victim with his shoulder, the victim is visibly
intimidated by the suspect and attempting to get out of his way, according to police.
“The suspect then reaches out and slaps the victim who then falls backwards hitting his head on the concrete floor and passing out outside of the store,” VIPD Communications Director Glen Dratte said. “He is observed motionless on the ground for a period of five minutes before waking up.”
The suspect, later positively identified as Berkeley as the person seen on camera assaulting the victim, was placed under arrest on Monday morning, according to Dratte.
Berkeley was read his Miranda Rights, COVID-19 tested, booked and processed.
His bail was set at $25,000.00. Unable to post bail, he was remanded to the custody of the Bureau of Corrections pending an advice-of-rights hearing.