Two men were wounded in separate shooting incidents Wednesday and Thursday on St. Thomas, the V.I. Police Department reported.
At 9:24 a.m. Wednesday, officers were dispatched to a report of a shooting victim on the roadside leading towards the Bovoni housing community. Arriving at the scene, officers met a responsive black male, identified as 41-year-old Wayne Peters, who was being treated at the scene by the responding emergency medical technicians.
Peters told police he was walking south on the road from the Bovoni housing community when he was approached by a black man with whom he began arguing. During the argument, the black man fired multiple shots, striking him about the body and causing him to fall to the ground.
The suspect then ran through the bushes heading towards the horse track, the police said.
At approximately 2 a.m. Thursday, officers were dispatched to a report of a shooting victim at Bjerge Gade. At the scene, officers met with 29-year-old Joel Hazel, who was being treated by EMTs.
Based on the severity of his injury, Hazel was immediately transported to the Schneider Regional Medical Center, where he was treated in the emergency room.
According to the preliminary report, Hazel was sitting in the parkway of the building where he lives when an unidentified vehicle pulled up on Bjerge Gade. An unknown amount of suspects exited the vehicle firing shots towards him. Hazel said he tried to run away but sustained a gunshot wound to the right foot in his attempt to escape.
The unidentified vehicle then fled the scene in a southern direction.
Both cases are being investigated by the Investigation Bureau and Major Crimes Unit. Anyone with information about either incident can notify Major Crimes at 340-714-9823 ext. 5617, the Criminal Investigation Bureau at 340-714-9807 ext. 5556, the chief’s office at 340-774-2211 or the anonymous top service, CrimeStoppers USVI, at 1-800-222-8477.
