KINGSHILL — A father who encouraged his teenage son to fight his minor girlfriend ended in personal Fourth of July fireworks with two females being shot — one suffering serious injuries after being shot in the back.
Miguel A. Marrero, 52, was arrested and charged with attempted murder, first-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment and aiming or discharging a firearm, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
The case began at 5:40 p.m. on July 4, when the 911 Emergency Call Center received a report of two gunshot victims at Candido Guadalupe Terrace near mid-island St. Croix, according to the VIPD.
VIPD mug shot of Miguel A. Marrero, 52, of St. Croix.
Responding officers found two victims at the housing project, an adult female and her 15-yearold daughter, police said.
Detectives from the Criminal Investigation Bureau were assigned to investigate the case.
Their investigation determined that the suspect, identified as Marrero, was in front of Building 2
of Candido Guadalupe encouraging his 17-year-old son, who was in a physical altercation with the
adult victim’s minor daughter, VIPD spokeswoman Kishma Chichester said.
“The mother of the minor female confronted Marrero about the fight between their children, and while doing so, he pulled out a firearm and discharged several shots. He first shot the adult female once in the back and then her minor daughter twice,” Chichester said.
The victims were transported to the Juan F. Luis Hospital via ambulance, where the adult female
underwent emergency surgery and is listed in serious condition. Her daughter was treated for her
injuries and released.
Marrero fled the scene and was apprehended by officers of the Special Operations Bureau in
the Sion Farm area, according to police
He was transported to the Criminal Investigation Bureau, where he provided a statement admitting to shooting the females, police said.
Marrero was advised of his Miranda Rights, booked and processed. His bail was set, at $75,000.00.
Unable to post bail, the suspect was remanded to the custody of the Bureau of Corrections at the John Bell Adult Correctional Facility pending an advice-of-rights hearing.
UPDATE: On Friday July 5, Superior Court Judge Ernest Morris Jr. found probable cause to bind Marrero over for trial. Judge Morris also increased Marrero’s bail from $75,000 to $150,000, the full amount payable in cash. If the suspect secures release before trial, he will be placed under 24-hour house arrest with electronic monitoring and must provide a suitable third-party custodian to the court, Morris ordered.