ST. JOHN / ST. CROIX, USVI — The V.I. Police Department is investigating a violent weekend across the territory, marked by fatal shootings in St. John and a separate gunfire incident in St. Croix that left a 14-year-old boy wounded.
St. John: Two Killed, Two Wounded in Back-to-Back Shootings
According to VIPD Director of Communications Glen Dratte, the first shooting occurred early Sunday morning. At approximately 1:35 a.m., police officers and multiple citizens reported hearing gunfire and seeing a male down near the Penn Trucking area in Cruz Bay. Moments later, ShotSpotter technology registered additional gunfire near the Roundabout, and further 911 calls indicated that a male had been shot while in a silver vehicle.
While officers were still on the scene of the first shooting, they reported hearing the second volley of gunfire.
According to Mr. Dratte, Emergency Medical Services responded to both scenes. Two gunshot victims from the first incident were transported to the Myrah Keating Clinic, then transferred to the Schneider Regional Medical Center on St. Thomas. One was treated and released, while the other remains in stable condition.
However, the two individuals struck in the second shooting were pronounced dead at the scene by EMS. The victims were identified by next of kin as 23-year-old Lee Joseph Christian and 28-year-old Jordan Brierley Clendinen, both residents of St. John.
Authorities say the case remains under active investigation. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Criminal Investigation Bureau at (340) 774-2211, dial 911, or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers USVI at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
St. Croix: Teen Shot Near JFK
Just hours earlier on Saturday, a 14-year-old boy was shot near the John F. Kennedy area in St. Croix. ShotSpotter detected 30 rounds discharged at 11:03 p.m., prompting dispatch from the 911 Emergency Call Center, according to the VIPD. The same night, the ECC received a call directly from the teenage victim, who reported he had been shot and needed help.
Emergency responders arrived shortly thereafter and transported the boy to Juan F. Luis Hospital. According to VIPD, the teen told police he had been walking home from Harbor View when he heard gunfire and suddenly felt his legs give out before collapsing to the ground. He was struck multiple times, primarily on the left side of his body, and requires surgery. No updates on his current condition were available as of press time.
As with the St. John shootings, police are continuing their investigation and have asked for public assistance. Information can be submitted to VIPD’s Criminal Investigation Bureau or anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
Territory-Wide Violence: Homicide Count at 22 for 2025
The recent violence in St. John and St. Croix marks a grim milestone. The twin homicides on St. John raise the island’s total to two for the year. St. Thomas has seen nine homicides so far in 2025, while St. Croix has recorded 11. The death of a 29-year-old near Cozy Corner bar in Grove Place Saturday night adds to the rising toll.
Law enforcement officials continue to urge the community to report what they know. Public cooperation, they say, is critical to solving these cases and curbing the escalation in gun violence across the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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