Nelson To Host Followup ‘Bring Back Paradise’ Peace Rally Meeting In Preparation For Event

ST. CROIX — Senator Terrence “Positive” Nelson said the initial peace rally meeting held September 17 at his office in the Frederiksted Legislative Complex was successful, however more brainstorming and ideas-sharing were needed before the event could take place.

The peace rally is the veteran senator’s response to the upsurge in violent crime in the territory. He said the USVI has moved away from the adage that says it takes a village to raise a child.

“It will take the community to become a better community. More than ever before, we need to come together as a community and be our brothers/sisters keeper and operate as one unit, take responsibility and be invested in the positive turnaround! It can be done!” said Nelson in a press release issued last Friday. “To turn this community around, it’s going to take all hands on deck! Let’s have this discussion!”

The followup meeting, initially set for last Friday, was rescheduled for 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, because of the funeral of former Lieutenant Governor and Superior Court Judge Julio A. Brady.

Criminal activity in the territory has historically been high, but the early days of September saw a rash of crimes unlike what the islands, specifically this one, has experienced.

It started with the homicide death of Jermaine “Bird” Williams on the afternoon of Friday, Sept. 4, which was followed by “hundreds of shots” being fired back-and-forth in the Red Brick/Water Gut area later the same day, according to Sen. Novelle Francis, a former police chief and police commissioner. Multiple victims were injured during the gunfight, as ambulances rushed in and out of the close neighborhoods.

That same day at about 10:00 p.m., an attempted robbery at Napoleon’s Pizza in Peter’s Rest (video footage here), across from Cost-U-Less ended with shots being fired by both sides — the store’s owner and the suspects — and almost immediately following the incident, police responded to shots being fired in Campo Rico and Mon Bijou.

On the following day, Dwayne “DMX” Woodrup was shot multiple times on Centerline Road near the Central High School, leaving the red Honda Civic he was driving riddled with bullet holes and Woodrup, who was airlifted out of the territory on Saturday night, in critical condition and “clinging to life,” according to VIPD Public Information Officer Kevin Jackson.

Following that incident, police responded to shots being fired in La Grande Princesse and Campo Rico, capping off a violent weekend here.

The criminal activity, however, did not stop. On September 10, a man was gunned down in the Shanty located in the Harvey/Campo Rico community by unknown assailants, leaving his lifeless body slumped in the Black Isuzu Rodeo he was driving.

And there’s been other violent crime since the mentioned incidents, including a brazen attack on a couple, a man who died after being struck in the head with a rock, and the robbery at gunpoint of  individuals working on a tomb at the Kingshill Cemetery.