A 21-year-old man was injured by a gunshot Saturday morning in Frederiksted, the V.I. Police Department reported.
According to the police, an off-duty officer reported at 9:44 a.m. that he had been in contact with a vehicle transporting a gunshot victim to the Juan F. Luis Memorial Hospital and was going to assist.
Officers and detectives responded to the hospital and met with the victim, whose name was not released by police.
He told the officers he had been walking out of Walter IM Hodge Pavilion when he saw a black, heavily tinted vehicle approach him. As the vehicle approached, the victim saw the driver-side window go down and a gun point out of it in his direction. Several shots were discharged as the victim began to run from the vehicle and he realized that he’d been struck by a bullet.
Seeking help, the victim stopped a vehicle that was passing by, pleaded for a ride to the hospital and the operator of the vehicle transported him to JFL for treatment.
The victim sustained a gunshot wound to his left leg, was treated and was under observation at the medical facility Saturday afternoon.
Police asked anyone with information about the incident to phone the Criminal Investigation Bureau at 340-712-6024, St. Croix Chief of Police Arthur Hector Sr. at 340-712-6005, the anonymous tip service, or the Crime Stoppers USVI at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.crimestoppersusvi.org.
