CHRISTIANSTED — One teenager is dead and five people injured after a shooting at a sports bar in Peter’s Rest on St. Croix early this morning.
Jahmari Joshawn Santiago, 19, was positively identified by next of kin as the deceased, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
The 911 Emergency Call Center received a call regarding a nonresponsive male on the ground across from Climaxx Sportsbar & Nightclub, according to the VIPD.
Responding Police Officers and Emergency Medical Technicians arrived and learned that
multiple individuals were transported to Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital in private vehicles, police said.
As a result of the shooting, six individuals were injured and one of the six died on the scene,
while another of the six is on life support, according to police.
“Investigation disclosed that the club was closing, and the patron was exiting when gunshots
rang out,” VIPD Communications Director Glen Dratte said. “Currently, it is unknown the reason for the discharging of shots.”
One of the injured men is still fighting to survive on life support at the JFL Hospital, according to published reports.
“This is unacceptable, we live in an intimate community, and when this type of violence
happens, it hits home for all of us,” St. Croix Police Chief Sean Santos said. “Anyone should be able to go anywhere in this territory and enjoy themselves without being a victim of a crime. We were doing so well as a people, keeping a lid on violence. We will continue to work, engage and continue our partnership with this community bringing all criminal offenders to justice. Our hearts go out to the victims’ family and friends.”
Detectives were investigating an area between Royal Furniture and FedEx in Peter’s Rest as the crime scene today, eyewitnesses said.
This case is currently under active investigation by Criminal Investigation Bureau.
Anyone with information about this shooting incident, please call 911, the CIB Tip-Line at 340-778-4850 or Crime Stoppers V.I. at 1-800-222-8477.