ST. CROIX — The mother of Ray Vincent Stevens, one of two men killed in a 2024 mass shooting in Frangipani, fought through tears Friday evening as she pleaded with the St. Croix community for help and called on young people to break the cycle of violence that has left families across the island grieving.
Speaking during the Women’s Coalition of St. Croix’s 15th Annual National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims at the Sunny Isles Amphitheater, Stevens’ mother delivered an emotional appeal centered not only on the loss of her son, but on the young men continuing to participate in deadly violence and the people around them who help make those crimes possible.
In video captured at the event, the grieving mother becomes overwhelmed as she speaks about her son and the pain his death has left behind. She appeals directly to young men involved in violence to stop killing one another, while also turning her attention to young women who aid, protect or otherwise assist men involved in violent crimes. Her message to them was equally urgent: stop helping perpetuate the violence.
The remarks came more than two years after Stevens, 29, was killed alongside 27-year-old Keshawn Kirby Jr. in a burst of gunfire in the Frangipani area of St. Croix on June 19, 2024. According to the V.I. Police Department, four men had been playing dominoes on the porch of a residence when two armed men entered the property and opened fire with assault rifles.
Stevens and Kirby died from their injuries. A third man was taken to Juan F. Luis Hospital in serious condition and underwent emergency surgery, while a fourth sustained injuries from broken glass. Police said the gunmen fled the property in an SUV, and investigators recovered several high-caliber spent cartridges from the scene. At the time of the Consortium’s report, the double homicide remained under active investigation.
Friday’s remembrance placed stories like Stevens’ at the center of a broader evening devoted to families who have lost loved ones to homicide. The program, presented under the theme “What About Us?”, included community speakers, music and dance performances, an open microphone for community members, and a healing circle during which participants were invited to call the names of those they had lost.
The program opened with a blessing by Dr. Terry Skepple, followed by a welcome from Dr. Clema S. Lewis. Voices of Praise performed “A Change Is Gone Come,” Pastor Dexter Skepple delivered remarks, and The Chosen Ones performed a dance presentation titled “Let Go Let God.” The evening also included the Women’s Coalition’s Wall of Remembrance, a visual memorial containing the names of murder victims on St. Croix dating back to 1974.
According to the Women’s Coalition, the Wall of Remembrance is updated annually and is intended to ensure that victims are remembered not merely as statistics, but as people whose deaths continue to affect parents, children, siblings, friends and the wider community. The organization says it has commemorated the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims on St. Croix for years through activities designed to support surviving loved ones and draw attention to the effects of homicide.
The 2026 observance was held Friday, September 25 at 5:30 p.m. at the Sunny Isles Amphitheater. Nationally, September 25 has been observed as the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims since Congress designated the observance in 2007. The day is intended to honor people killed through acts of violence while recognizing the lasting trauma experienced by their families and communities.
For Stevens’ mother, however, Friday’s gathering was far more personal. Her remarks transformed the broader discussion about gun violence into the anguish of a parent whose child did not come home. Through tears, she appealed for intervention before more families are forced into the same position, directing her message both to those committing acts of violence and those who knowingly help them.
Her plea also reflected one of the central purposes of Friday’s event: giving surviving relatives a place to speak openly about grief that does not disappear when the police tape comes down or public attention moves to another crime. The evening concluded with the healing circle and closing remarks by Sheelene Gumbs.
The Women’s Coalition provides advocacy, programs and services for people affected by violence and operates a crisis center on St. Croix. The organization lists its crisis assistance number as 340-773-9272.
