Update: New information provided by police spokesperson Melody Rames confirms that there was one other suspect, apart from the three VI Consortium reported earlier, who was involved in the attempted robbery and shootout in Sunny Isle, St. Croix. Of the four males, there was only one adult, while the remaining three were minors — the youngest being 14-years-old. All suspects were apprehended.
Earlier
A shootout in Sunny Isle Shopping Center on Saturday has left two of three suspects wounded after they attempted to rob the Cleopatra Gift Shop and engaged police officers in a gun battle while trying to escape, Deputy Chief of Police Arthur Hector, Sr. told the VI Consortium at the crime scene. The incident occurred around midday.
Upon arrival at the scene of the incident, this reporter saw shoppers clustered near the Cleopatra Gift Shop — outside the crime scene line — observing what had just taken place. By the time VI Consortium arrived, the wounded suspects had already been transported to the nearby Juan F. Luis Hospital. Hector said he was uncertain if the men were in stable condition.
The deputy chief told VI Consortium the men engaged police first while trying to escape and police responded with shots of their own. However, one security guard on the scene told the VI Consortium the suspects did not fire shots, but he later alluded that the suspects were armed. Hector would not reveal how many suspects were involved, saying that the investigation was in its preliminary stages; however, the security guard said there were three suspects.
The scene was swamped with police from one end of the shopping center to the next. Certain parking lot entrances were blocked off as detectives combed the crime scene. One woman, who appeared to be a relative to the owners of Cleopatra Gift Shop, left the store with tears in her eyes, overwhelmed, it seemed, by what had taken place.
VI Consortium will continue to seek information and update this story as more information becomes available.
Tags: shootout
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