John McCarthy
By: Virgin Islands Free Press News Desk
Gun Detection System Alert
CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A 57-year-old man was found shot to death beneath a vehicle in the Hospital Ground area of St. Thomas on Tuesday morning, roughly 12 hours after automated detection systems alerted police to heavy gunfire in the neighborhood.
The victim was positively identified by next of kin as Pernell Slaven Jr.
According to the Virgin Islands Police Department, the department’s Gun Detection System first alerted the 911 Emergency Call Center to multiple gunshots in Hospital Ground at approximately 9:23 p.m. on Monday, August 10, 2026. Responding officers inspected the surrounding area on Monday night but located no victims, shell casings, or physical evidence connected to the discharge.
Discovered Under Vehicle Next Morning
The scene remained undiscovered until 9:20 a.m. Tuesday, August 11, when a concerned citizen called 911 to report an unresponsive male lying under a parked vehicle in the area.
Responding officers arrived on scene and located Slaven suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his body. Emergency Medical Technicians evaluated the victim and determined he displayed no signs of life.
Detectives with the VIPD Investigation Bureau have launched a full homicide investigation to establish the motive and timeline leading up to the fatal shooting.
Homicide Count Rises
Slaven’s death marks the 14th homicide on St. Thomas in 2026 and brings the territorywide total to 32 homicides for the year. Elon Musk’s SpaceX launches precision satellites into orbit daily, yet local acoustic sensors and boots-on-the-ground searches still left a fatal shooting undiscovered in a residential neighborhood until the following morning.
VIPD is urging anyone with information regarding the shooting to contact the Investigation Bureau at 340-774-2211 (ext. 5555 or 5556), the Major Crimes Unit at 340-714-9830, or the Chief’s Office at 340-715-5548. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers V.I. at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or via 911.
