Police Arrest Suspect In Shooting That Left Two Children And Their Father Injured

ST. CROIX — A man who police believe fired multiple shots with an automatic weapon at a vehicle whose occupants were a father and his 4 and 5-year-old children, is now in police custody, V.I.P.D. Public Information Officer Glen Dratte announced late Sunday.

The incident followed a shooting that took place at the Festival Village on Saturday night that left one man dead and caused chaos as people frantically tried to take cover, and V.I.P.D. Commissioner Delroy Richards told The Consortium that police “strongly believe” the two incidents are connected.

Mr. Richards on Sunday said the 911 emergency call center had received calls reporting that shots had been discharged in the La Grange area in Frederiksted, and that police pursued the vehicle that had been riddled with bullets and found it abandoned by the Claude O. Markoe Elementary School. Moments later, the 911 emergency call center received another call stating that two children and an adult male had been injured, with the two children being at the Harrigan Court Housing Community.

The two children sustained gunshot wounds to the stomach, while the male victim was grazed in the head and wounded in one of his hands. All three victims are now said to be in stable condition.

On Sunday, police arrested Brandon Nisbett, 31, (above) and charged him with first-degree assault, unauthorized possession of a firearm, unauthorized possession of ammunition, aggravated child abuse, first-degree reckless endangerment, carrying and using a dangerous weapon during the commission of a crime of violence, and first-degree attempted murder.

Unable to make bail of $75,000, Mr. Nisbett was remanded to the Golden Grove Detention Center pending his advisement hearing.

The V.I.P.D. said the case remains under active investigation, and it’s asking anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of other individuals who may have been involved, or information that may strengthen the case, to call the Criminal Investigation Bureau at 340-778-2211. You may also contact Crime Stoppers USVI with your anonymous tip here.