Scene of homicide on the Melvin Evans Highway during the afternoon time of Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020. Photo Credit: TOBY DERIMA FOR THE VIPD
ST. CROIX — A woman was shot to death this afternoon while driving her vehicle on the Melvin Evans Highway near the Industrial Park intersection, police spokesman Toby Derima has confirmed to the Consortium. Though the shooting started at the intersection, it continued on the highway heading west and ended next to a Hispanic church, where the woman was found unresponsive in her vehicle.
The shooting followed another homicide incident that occurred in St. Thomas just about an hour earlier, where a young man was shot dead at the Oswald Harris Court housing community. Combined, the homicides bring the territory's total for 2020 to 40.
Law enforcement officers blocked a portion of the Melvin Evans Highway, heading west beginning at the Economic Development Authority's (EDA) Industrial Park intersection, as they investigated the homicide on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020. (Credit: VI Consortium)
Police blocked traffic heading west on the highway at the Industrial Park intersection, as they investigated the crime. On the scene, shocked individuals looked on as police did their jobs.
According to Mr. Derima, the 911 Emergency Call Center dispatched officers to the area at about 3:07 p.m. after receiving a report of the shooting incident. Upon arrival to the location, the officers met the unresponsive female victim in the driver's seat of her vehicle, a black Acura TSX.
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The victim was identified by next of kin as Reynisha Juanita Rivera, age 20.
The case is under active investigation, according to Mr. Derima. The V.I.P.D. is asking anyone with information relative to this homicide to contact Crime Stoppers USVI anonymously through this link.
