Territory Has ‘Some Of The Strongest Anti-Gun And Crime-Fighting Laws’; Milling Young Says, Youth Should Seek ‘Peaceful Resolutions’ To Conflicts

ST. THOMAS — Senate Vice President Janette Millin Young has repeated her call for residents of the territory to turn away from guns and violence and to seek peaceful resolutions to conflicts.

In a press  release Mrs. Millin Young issued Sunday, the lawmaker said, “While the territory has some of the strongest anti-gun and crime fighting laws which I have supported during my tenure in office, the senseless killings continue.

“We have to redouble our efforts by appealing to the hearts and minds of warring individuals. Our aim must be to promote alternate methods of resolving disputes. We must build and strengthen families and support church and non-profit ant-crime initiatives. Clearly, resorting to violence is useless and only results in more violence.”

She added: “We risk losing an entire generation of young people to purposeless violence, causing fear and hopelessness to characterize our times and lives. This is not the Virgin Islands I have lived in or the one I believe in, or the one I hope to pass on to the next generation.”

The senator, upon returning from the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, where gun violence was a large part of the discussion, commented upon learning that a 20-year-old female succumbed to injuries inflicted upon her in an early Saturday morning on St. Thomas in what was described by police as an unintentional attack.

“As a mother, I know the pain and deep hurt being felt within the circle of family, loved ones and friends by those who mourn the loss of loved ones taken so senselessly. And, I look forward to my recently passed bill to have the Health Department take the lead in analysing the root causes of criminal activity become law,” Mrs. Millin Young said. “While the circumstances of this very sad episode are still unknown, the consequences of the endless murders remain constant, family and friends overwhelmed by shock, grief and tears, a staggering pain of loss, the perpetrator or perpetrators spending their best years in jail.”

She added that while Saturday’s unfortunate incident happened in St. Thomas, the territory as a whole has seen such incessant gun violence that “we risk becoming immune to the recognition that another young life, with potentially so much promise and possibilities, has been needlessly stolen from us.”

She extended prayers and condolences to families across the territory who’ve lost loved ones through gun violence.

Forty people have died so far by homicide in the territory this year, four of which were vehicular. The latest incident, which occurred in the wee hours of Saturday morning, left an innocent bystander — a female St. Thomian who was only 20 years old — dead during a shooting that she had no involvement in.

The information was confirmed by V.I.P.D. Public Information Officer Glenn Dratte this afternoon.

According to Krush Bar & Nightclub owner Darryl Lewis, Jr., just after 3:00 a.m. today, a vehicle stopped at the entrance of Nisky Center, and an assailant fired seven shots in the direction of a nearby pharmacy. The victim had just left the nightclub with two other female friends. There were others leaving the club as well, including males, according to Mr. Lewis.

The victim, identified as Bria Evans, was shot once in the upper chest by gunfire intended for someone else, according to police. She was rushed to the Schneider Regional Medical Center and died during surgery at approximately 5:53 a.m.

The incident did not occur in the club, nor did it happen on the facility’s premises, according to Mr. Lewis, who said that he was one of the individuals to witness the shooting, and immediately shut down the nightclub event. Mr. Lewis said he is cooperating fully with the V.I.P.D.’s investigation.

“I think somebody happened to see somebody they didn’t like there and started firing shots,” Mr. Lewis said. “They see their target any place and take action.” Mr. Lewis said because the shooting did not occur on his premises, his state-of-the-art cameras did not capture the incident.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact  the Investigation Bureau at 340-774-2211 ext. 5579 and 5557. Residents can also contact 911, Crime Stoppers V.I., the chief’s office at 340-715-5548 or the commissioner’s office at 340-715-5506.