Sept. 18, 2005 – St. Croix police continued Sunday to investigate the shooting death of a Catherine's Rest man who was shot and killed while walking to his home.
Reports of the shooting came into police around 4 p.m. Saturday, according to Territorial Police Chief Novelle Francis Jr. Officers responding to the scene found the victim lying in a pool of blood with gunshot wounds to the body.
Authorities identified the victim as 24-year-old James Ballantine of 135 Estate Catherine's Rest.
Francis said Ballantine was walking toward his home when he was accosted by one or two gunmen who opened fired with a .38 caliber revolver. The suspects fled the scene on foot. Francis said eyewitness accounts described one suspect as wearing white short pants and a red t-shirt with his hair cropped in an Afro style.
While police had no the motive for the shooting, Francis was almost certain that robbery was not a factor. Because a .38 caliber revolver was used in the shooting, there were no spent ammunition casings to recover. The casings stay in the gun.
The Ballantine killing marks the fourth on St. Croix in less than a month the 17th homicide on St. Croix this year. It is the 32nd for the territory.
As of Sept. 16, 2004 the territory had seen 24 homicides, 14 on St. Croix.
Francis urged anyone with information to call police at 778-2211, extension 6031, 778-4950 or emergency 911.
Back Talk
Share your reaction to this news with other Source readers. Please include headline, your name and city and state/country or island where you reside.
