Back to back shootings on Sunday brought the homicide toll for the territory up to 26, and police are asking residents to come forward with any leads they might have on incidents in the Fort Mylner and Tutu areas on St. Thomas.
It was just after midnight Sunday when 911 received a call of shots fired around Fort Miliner. According to V.I. Police Department news release, officers responding to the scene found a four-door Toyota sedan at the bottom of Raphune Hill with two victims inside, both of whom had been shot multiple times.
One of the victims, Jafari Samuel, died of his wounds at Schneider Regional Medical Center, while the other victim, an unnamed 26-year-old female, is still receiving treatment for her injuries.
The second incident was reported at approximately 3:28 p.m. Sunday, when residents called in about shots being fired in the Hidden Valley area.
According to a VIPD news release, police responding to the calls found an unresponsive male lying on the stairs of one of the Hidden Valley apartment buildings. The man was pronounced dead on the scene by emergency medical technicians and was transported to Schneider Regional’s morgue.
Next of kin identified the man as 22-year-old Ojahnia Adkins. While the incident is still under investigation, Police spokesman Glen Dratte said Sunday night that it appears Adkins was killed after getting in an argument with someone he knew from the area.
“The two guys were arguing. They had a misunderstanding that escalated and it looks like they ended up turning on each other,” he said.
Both cases are being investigated by VIPD’s Homicide Task Force. Anyone with information on either incident can call the Task Force at (340) 774-2211 ext. 5617 and 5554. They can also call 911, Crime Stoppers V.I. at 1-800-222-8477, the commissioner’s office at (340) 715-5506 and the chief’s office at (340) 715-5548.