Gun-Related Homicides Jump To 28 Following Deadly Shooting In St. Thomas Wednesday

ST. THOMAS — The territory’s gun-related homicide count jumped to 28 on Wednesday following a deadly shooting in Sugar Estate.

According to V.I.P.D. Public Information Officer Glen Dratte, officers were dispatched to Sugar Estate at about 6:00 p.m. by 911 following a call from residents reporting that gunshots had been discharged in the area.

Upon officers arrival, they discovered an unresponsive black male individual with gunshot wounds about his body on 6th Street. Medical personnel was on scene and pronounced the victim — 21-year-old Jason Augustin Eustache — dead on the scene. He was identified by next of kin, according to Mr. Dratte.

The victim was transported to the hospital by a morgue attendant. The V.I.P.D. is actively investigating the incident, according to Mr. Dratte.

Wednesday’s homicide bring’s the count in shooting deaths in St. Thomas to 18, compared to St. Croix’s 10 for 2017. The number climbs to 34 in total when vehicular homicides — to include the recent Melvin Evans Highway deadly incident — are factored in, according to information provided by V.I.P.D. Commissioner Delroy Richards.

The force is asking anyone with information about this incident to contact the Criminal Investigation Bureau at 340-774-2211. You may also contact Crime Stoppers USVI anonymously here.