ST. CROIX — Police have arrested 19-year-old Carim Fingal and charged him with first-degree murder in the killing of 17-year-old Ky'janny Niles, who was shot Thursday night at the Walter I.M. Hodge Housing Community in Frederiksted. An 18-year-old man was also wounded in the shooting.
The V.I. Police Department announced the arrest Saturday, saying its Major Crime Unit identified Mr. Fingal as one of the suspects in the October 22 shooting. He was also charged with first-degree assault and carrying a dangerous weapon during the commission of a crime.
According to police, the 911 Emergency Call Center received an alert from the department's gunshot detection system at approximately 9:07 p.m. Thursday, reporting shots fired at the Walter I.M. Hodge Housing Community, commonly known as Sofarelli.
Responding officers discovered two male gunshot victims with serious injuries. Both were transported to the Juan F. Luis Hospital, where Niles succumbed to his injuries. The second victim, an 18-year-old whose identity has not been released, was treated and reported to be in stable condition.
Police said investigators subsequently identified Mr. Fingal as a suspect. He was detained and transported to the Criminal Investigation Bureau, where he was arrested and booked. Authorities have not disclosed what led investigators to identify him or what circumstances preceded the shooting.
Unable to post bail set at $1 million, Mr. Fingal was transported to the John A. Bell Adult Correctional Facility, where he remained detained pending his advice-of-rights hearing scheduled for Monday, October 26, in Superior Court.
Niles's death was the 43rd homicide recorded in the U.S. Virgin Islands this year. His killing was followed by another fatal shooting early Saturday morning, when 35-year-old Hillman Faucher Jr. was shot outside The Hide Out Bar on Queen Street in Christiansted.
With that additional death, the territory's homicide count has reached 44, including 27 on St. Croix and 17 on St. Thomas. No homicides have been recorded on St. John.
The VIPD has not identified any other suspects in Niles's killing or announced whether additional arrests are anticipated.
Police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact the Major Crime Unit at 340-778-2211, Crime Stoppers V.I. at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or 911.
