ST. CROIX — The V.I. Police Department is investigating a fatal shooting that occurred on Friday in the town of Christiansted, leaving a 50-year-old man dead.

According to police, at approximately 9:49 p.m., police officers from the C Command sector responded to reports of shots fired in the vicinity of Big Masters Bar and Nightclub in Christiansted town.

Upon arrival at the scene, officers observed an unidentified adult male with multiple gunshot wounds lying on the shoulder of the roadway near the nightclub entrance. Emergency medical technicians arrived shortly thereafter and confirmed that the individual showed no signs of life.

The victim was later identified by his next of kin as 50-year-old Emanuel Premier, the owner of Big Master Bar and Nightclub. Premier, born on December 24, 1973, in Haiti, was well-known in the local community.

Witnesses in the area reported that Premier was involved in a physical altercation moments before he was shot. The circumstances leading up to the altercation and the subsequent shooting are currently under investigation by the police.

The V.I. Police Department is urging anyone with information about this incident to come forward and assist with the ongoing investigation. Individuals can contact the CIB Tipline at 340-778-4850, Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, or call 911.