V.I. Police officers on St. Thomas Thursday arrested 22-year-old James Nathaniel and charged him as a suspect in a shooting that took place early May 7 at the First Stop Gas Station.
According to police, at approximately 12:42 a.m. May 7 the 911 center received a call that multiple shots were being fired in the area of the First Stop station. Moments later another call reported that two people had been shot and taken to the Schneider Regional Medical Center, at which time it was discovered that a Superior Court Marshal was one of the victims.
According to police, Nathaniel had been seen at the entrance to station’s convenience store getting into a verbal altercation with another male.
The verbal altercation got heated and led to a gun battle between parties, police said. Nathaniel is reportedly seen on surveillance video removing a black firearm from his waistband area and also firing a firearm at another individual during the gun battle.
One of the two injured men treated at the hospital, Shamari Elmes, 22, was placed under arrest and charged with first-degree assault, reckless endangerment, third-degree assault, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Police announced May 11 that they were seeking Nathaniel.
At about 11:32 a.m. Thursday Nathaniel turned himself in at the Richard N. Callwood Command and was arrested and charged with first-degree assault, third-degree assault, reckless endangerment, possession of an unlicensed firearm during the commission of a crime and brandishing/exhibiting a firearm.
Nathaniel’s bail was set at $75,000. Unable to make bail, he was remanded to the Bureau of Corrections Detention Center on St. Thomas.
