Members of the V.I. Police Department Special Response Team arrested five men on St. Croix Thursday in connection with the attempted murder of a man last February, the department reported.
According to police, the suspects kicked, punched and threw the victim from a second-story building during a robbery.
The five men arrested were James Christian, 48; Robert Christian, 49; Larry John, 33; Elton Murray, 26; and Jermaine Williams, 28.
According to an affidavit used to obtain arrest warrants, on Feb. 24 the five suspects were in Estate Mars Hill in Frederiksted when they allegedly robbed the man of cash and scrap metal. During the robbery, police said the men attempted to run over the victim with their car, hit him in the head with a metal pipe, threw him from a second-story building, and punched and kicked him all over his body.
The arrests were based on a search and arrest warrant issued by the V.I. Superior Court. The men were all charged with attempted murder, first-degree robbery, carrying or using a dangerous weapon during the commission of a crime of violence, and trespassing.
John, Murray and the Christian brothers were arrested at two separate residences in Estate Concordia minutes before 10 a.m. Thursday. Jermaine Williams was arrested about noon at the police station.
Bail for each suspect was set at $100,000 and they were remanded to the custody of the Golden Grove Adult Correctional Facility pending further court action.
