Update on Sunday June 15, 2025 at 3:40 pm: The VIPD has identified the victim has 29-year-old Everton G. Ralph Jr..

Original Article: ST. THOMAS — A man was shot and killed in the parking lot of the KFC restaurant in Fort Mylner on Saturday afternoon, marking the 18th homicide in the U.S. Virgin Islands for 2025, and the ninth for St. Thomas this year.

According to information from the 911 Emergency Call Center, multiple callers reported the incident at approximately 1:37 p.m. on June 14. Callers stated that a man inside an Acura sedan had been shot, and that the vehicle had been fired upon multiple times in the KFC parking lot.

First responders from the V.I. Police Department, along with other emergency services, were immediately dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, officers found the male victim inside the vehicle. He was unresponsive and showed no signs of life.

As of Saturday afternoon, no suspects have been identified, and the VIPD has not released the name of the victim. The investigation remains active and ongoing, with detectives from the Criminal Investigation Bureau working to gather evidence and determine a motive behind the fatal shooting.

This latest incident brings the total number of homicides for the year to 18 across the territory—9 in St. Thomas and 9 in St. Croix.

Authorities are urging anyone who may have witnessed the shooting or has information related to the case to contact the Virgin Islands Police Department or call Crime Stoppers USVI at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). All tips can be submitted anonymously.