A man was treated at the Schneider Regional Medical Center for gunshot wounds suffered while walking in the Kronprindsens Gade area early Tuesday, the V.I. Police Department reported.
According to police, at about 2:41 a.m. Tuesday officers were dispatched to Kronprindsens Gade, in the vicinity of the Department of Labor, after 911 callers reported shots being fired and hearing an unknown individual screaming in the area.
Officers arrived at the area and found a gunshot victim on the stairway in the area of Kenia’s Fashion. The victim, whose name was not released by police in accordance with department policy, told police he was walking westward in the area when a black male, who he knows, approached and told him that he had 10 seconds to get out of the area. The suspect reached for his waist and pulled out what appeared to be a black handgun and pointed it at him.
The victim said as he turned around to leave the area, the suspect fired several shots at him. The victim then stated that he ran towards a residence where his family lives and saw that he had been shot multiple times. The victim was transported via ambulance to the Schneider Regional Medical Center where he was treated for his gunshot wounds.
At approximately 12:45 p.m. Tuesday detectives arrested Maulique Caines, age 24 of Anna’s Retreat, and charged him with third-degree assault after he was positively identified as the individual who shot the victim. Bail for Caines was set at $25,000. He was not able to post bail and was remanded to the custody of the Bureau of Corrections pending his advice of rights hearing.
St. Thomas-St. John Chief of Police Ludrick Thomas praised officers for the quick arrest in this case.
“I wish to commend the officers and detectives in this particular case, especially since this arrest was made within 24 hours. This is a prime example of what happens when the police and the community work hand-in-hand. If you see something, say something; if you hear something, say something; and if you know something, say something. Together, we can bring closure to a number of ongoing incidents,” Thomas said.
Police urged anyone with information about this incident to call 911, the Criminal Investigation Bureau at 340-774-2211 ext. 5579 or Crime Stoppers USVI at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
