A 25-year-old man was arrested Tuesday after Virgin Islands Police Officers recovered an assault rifle and ammunition during a follow-up operation tied to a February double homicide in Frederiksted, according to the V.I. Police Department.
Hector Sankitts was taken into custody during the second phase of “Operation Always Watching!” which was executed by members of the Criminal Investigation and Special Operations bureaus on June 25. Police said the operation stemmed from an ongoing investigation into a fatal shooting that occurred on Feb. 1 near Yolanda’s Minibar on Queen Street, according to the police report.
According to the department, officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert just before midnight that night and found one man dead at the scene with multiple gunshot wounds. A second victim later arrived at Juan F. Luis Hospital but was also pronounced dead.
The VIPD launched Operation Always Watching! on April 16, and the second phase led officers to recover the illegal firearm and ammunition during the execution of search warrants, the police report stated.
Sankitts was transported to the Wilbur Francis Command Police Station, where he was advised of his rights. Police said he admitted to not possessing a firearm license. He was charged with carrying a firearm openly or concealed and possession or sale of ammunition. His bail was set at $50,000, the report stated.
Unable to post bail, Sankitts was remanded to the John Bell Correctional Facility pending his Advice of Rights hearing scheduled for Thursday in V.I. Superior Court, it said.
The investigation is ongoing.
St. Croix Source
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