A 20-year-old St. Croix man, identified by police as Markel “Malik” Joseph, was killed at the Cool Out Bar parking lot on Friday after being shot multiple times.
It was the 10th homicide on St. Croix since the beginning of the year, the 22nd in the territory.
According to the V.I. Police Department, at 1:58 a.m. Friday, officers were dispatched to the Cool Out Bar parking lot in the Peter’s Rest area due to reports of shots being fired.
When officers arrived, they found an unresponsive male lying on his back with multiple gunshot wounds. The victim, identified as Joseph, was pronounced dead at the scene by first responders. He was then transported to the Juan F. Luis Hospital morgue.
Patrons inside the bar said that they heard gunshots but did not have any other information about the incident.
Criminal Investigations Bureau and Forensic Team investigators processed the area.
Police urge anyone with information on the shooting to call the Criminal Investigation Bureau at 340-778-221, the 911 call center, or the anonymous tip service, Crime Stoppers USVI, at 1-800-222-8477.