Ivan James Is Primary Suspect In Cockpit Double Homicide, Police Say

ST. CROIX — The Virgin Islands Police Department has narrowed down the number of people it believes were involved in Saturday’s double homicide shooting at the cockpit in Estate Glynn, and has named Ivan James, above, as the primary suspect in the incident that rocked St. Croix over the weekend.

That’s according to V.I.P.D. Public Information Officer Glenn Dratte, who provided media houses with the updated information late Tuesday.

The police force removed Elijah Jackson and Jamal J. Young from its persons of interest list pending further investigation, according to Mr. Dratte. And 23-year-old Malichi Benjamin still remains a person of interest. Mr. James, 38, is still on the loose, according to police.

Double homicide 

According to V.I.P.D. Commissioner Delroy Richards, two men were shot dead on Saturday in the Estate Glynn cockpit, in what he said appeared to be a targeted shooting.

The incident occurred just before 3:58 p.m., according to Mr. Richards. He said several individuals barged through the cockpit door and started firing multiple shots at two specific individuals, both of whom were Hispanic males from the Clifton Hill area, according to Mr. Richards.

“There wasn’t a fight or anything of that nature, where somebody was shot. To us, these individuals were targeted by the shooters,” the commissioner said.

Police blocked traffic headed inside Estate Glynn through the entrance near the gas station, as investigators and emergency medical technicians responded to the scene. One man was dead on arrival, meaning he died on the scene, while the other victim died after being transported to the Juan F. Luis Hospital, according to Mr. Richards.

The victims were identified as Jacobo Garcia, age 46, who was identified by his wife and mother, and Luis Colon, age 31, who was identified by his parents. “We are now in the investigative phase,” the commissioner said.

He said the shooting had all the signs of a gang rivalry, and that police were bracing for possible retaliation. “When folks walk into an establishment and just simply open fire on two people, it’s because the individuals they decided to shoot were the intended targets, so it was a targeted shooting,” Mr. Richards said, adding, “When these things happen we brace ourselves and prepare ourselves with our resources in case there’s a retaliation some place. We’re looking at who all the connections were and what their capabilities are in responding.”