ST. CROIX — The Virgin Islands Police Department released the names of the victims who were coldly murdered during at party at the Altona Lagoon on Sunday night, a move confirming that notification of next of kin has been complete.
The victims were identified as 18-year-old Malik Benjamin and 18-year-old Yahfari Brodhurst.
According to Police Commissioner Delroy Richards, police had just circled the area of the event, inquiring whether the organizers had a permit in their possession, and after learning that the Department of Sports, Parks and Recreation had issued a permit, the officers left the area.
Soon after, just about 11:00 p.m., the 911 emergency call center dispatched officers back to the Lagoon to respond to shots of gunfire. Upon arrival to the scene, police met two young men lying lifeless on the ground after sustaining multiple gunshots about their bodies.
An eyewitness told The Consortium that the gunman seemed to have seized an opportunity to slay the victims. He walked up to the first victim and shot him about three to four times and stepped back. Then, the first victim’s friend ran to help and the gunman came up again and shot the friend multiple times, leaving two young men lifeless in a pool of blood.
The barrage of gunshots left three others injured, according to Mr. Richards, all of whom were treated for their injuries at the Juan F. Luis Hospital and released. He said one of the homicide victims was a resident of La Grange, Frederiksted and the other from Estate Whim, Frederiksted.
Of the three individuals who were injured, one resides in the D. Hamilton Jackson Housing Community. Mr. Richards was not sure where the other two injured victims reside.
Tags: 18-year-old Malik Benjamin, 18-year-old Yahfari Brodhurst
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