ST. CROIX — The V.I. Police Department is investigating two serious late-night incidents on St. Croix involving masked individuals, including gunfire from a gray truck in La Grande Princesse and, roughly 35 minutes later, an armed home invasion in which a woman was held at gunpoint, The Consortium has learned.
VIPD Director of Communications Glen Dratte confirmed that the first incident was reported at approximately 11:38 p.m. Thursday in La Grande Princesse, in the vicinity of Honda. The St. Croix 911 Emergency Call Center received a report of three to four masked men in the area.
VIPD officers responded to the scene, and police said shots were subsequently fired from a gray truck. Officers and detectives from the Criminal Investigation Bureau remained on scene investigating the incident, which VIPD classified as first-degree reckless endangerment. The initial notification did not specify who fired the shots, whether the gunfire was directed at police, or whether anyone was injured.
Approximately 35 minutes later, at 12:13 a.m. Friday, the St. Croix 911 Emergency Call Center received a separate report from a woman who said a masked man had entered her residence, held her at gunpoint and fled with several of her personal belongings.
Mr. Dratte confirmed that the woman told authorities the suspect was wearing a mask and dressed entirely in black when he entered the home, threatened her at gunpoint and took several personal items before leaving.
VIPD officers and CIB detectives were dispatched to investigate that incident as well. The initial police notification did not provide additional information about how the suspect entered the residence, the specific property taken, or whether authorities had identified a possible suspect.
Police have not indicated that the La Grande Princesse gunfire and the subsequent armed home invasion are connected. Both cases remain under active investigation, and VIPD said additional information would be released if necessary.
