Two men were killed Saturday night in a drive-by shooting in the area of Anna’s Retreat, the V.I. Police Department reported.
They were the 16th and 17th homicides on St. Thomas since the beginning of the year, the 22nd and 23rd in the territory.
According to the police report, at 10:33 p.m. Saturday the 911 center received a report of shots being fired in the area of Anna’s Retreat near the Holy Family Church.
Officers at the scene found two black men who had been shot.
The first victim, later identified as Shaki Alexander, 21, of Hidden Valley, had been shot multiple times about the body. He was transported to the Schneider Regional Medical Center to receive immediate treatment and later died of his injuries at the hospital at roughly 3:47 a.m.
The second victim was identified as Kerven Joseph, whose age and residence were not reported by police. Joseph also received multiple gunshot wounds to the body and was pronounced dead on the scene by the responding emergency medical technicians.
Preliminary investigation showed that Alexander and Joseph were walking in the vicinity of Anna’s Retreat when an unknown vehicle pulled up and fired multiple shots towards them, striking both men.
The crime scene was processed by the VIPD Forensic Unit.
The Homicide Task Force is investigating the crime and asked anyone with information to contact detectives at 340-774-2211 exts. 5617 and 5554. You can also call 911, the Police Commissioner Office at 340-715-5506, the St. Thomas-St John Chief’s Office at 340-715-5548, or the anonymous tip services, Crimes Stoppers USVI, at 1-800-222-8477.
The shootings took place just a day after neighbors in the Altona area reported what sounded like a "gun battle" in the neighborhood of Addelita Cancryn Junior High School. (See Related Links below) No one was reported injured in that incident.
