SUNNY ISLE — One man is dead after a “verbal altercation” escalated into a fatal shooting at an auto body shop near the Sunny Isle Shopping Center on Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.
Anthony Ventura, 31, was positively identified as the homicide victim, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
The case began at 1:09 p.m. when 911 dispatchers received multiple calls that a male individual was shot near Kiki’s Automotive on Hope Road in Estate Castle Coakley, according to the VIPD.
VIPD, EMS, Criminal Investigation Bureau and the Forensic Unit all converged on the crime scene, police said.
The victim was transported by ambulance to the Juan F. Luis Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries sustained from the gunshot wound, VIPD spokeswoman Sakeeda Freeman said.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that Anthony Ventura was in a verbal altercation with another male individual,” Freeman said. “Anthony Ventura had made multiple threats to the male individual and his family.”
“While the male individual was in his vehicle with his family Mr. Ventura approached the vehicle on the passenger side window extending his arm into the vehicle with his other arm reaching for something at the rear of his waist,” she said. “The male individual then Shot Mr. Ventura in his upper chest.”
This is under active investigation by the Criminal Investigation Bureau.
Anyone with information about Ventura’s homicide is urged to call 911 the Criminal Investigation Bureau Tip Line at 340-778-4850 or the anonymous tip service Crime Stoppers USVI at 1-800-222-8477.