FREDERIKSTED — Police are investigating a fatal shooting near West Yam Yam restaurant early Sunday evening downtown that left one St. Croix man dead and and put a 7-year-old boy from a passing vehicle in the hospital, authorities and social media said.
Joseph Leonardo Clarke, 27, of Grove Place, was identified by next of kin as the homicide victim, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
The 911 Emergency Call Center received a report of shots fired at the corner of King Street and Market Street in downtown Frederiksted at 5:10 p.m. on Sunday, according to the VIPD.
“Upon arrival, officers observed an unresponsive Black male with gunshot wounds to the body,” VIPD spokesman Toby Derima said.
Police said that “a minor in a passing vehicle was injured by a non-life threatening gunshot,” according to Derima.
The minor was treated at the Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center and released, he said.
In a Tweet posted to Twitter at 8:08 p.m. Sunday, the VIPD released a photo of St. Croix Police Chief Sidney Elskoe and Police Commissioner Trevor A. Velinor at the St. Croix hospital where a 7-year-old boy was grazed by a bullet in his arm during the shooting.
St. Croix Police Chief Elskoe, who was at the crimee scene in Frederiksted also, condemned the senseless gun violence on the island.
“We are again asking for information to solve this and other recent shootings,” Chief Elskoe said. “If you know that something is about to happen, we are urging you to let us know so we can stop it from happening.”
Meanwhile, the VIPD said on Twitter that it has a person of interest in Sunday’s fatal shooting and are asking the public to identify the man seen running with a gun in Frederiksted on Sunday in the two photos below.
You can give police tips by calling 911, the Crime Tip Line at (340) 778-4950, or anonymously to Crime Stoppers USVI at (800) 222-8477.