ST. THOMAS — A 39-year-old Ohio man was shot and killed early Saturday morning on Hull Bay Road after a woman reported that she and her friends were chased and fired upon by someone traveling in another vehicle, bringing the U.S. Virgin Islands' homicide count for 2026 to 45.
According to VIPD Director of Communication Glen Dratte, the victim was identified as Evan Haynes Jr., according to the V.I. Police Department. His death marks the 18th homicide on St. Thomas this year, while St. Croix has recorded 27. No homicides have been reported on St. John.
The 911 Emergency Call Center received a call from a concerned citizen at approximately 4:42 a.m. Saturday, October 31, reporting multiple gunshots in the Hull Bay Road area, the VIPD said.
Shortly afterward, a woman contacted emergency dispatchers and reported that she and her friends had been traveling along the roadway when an individual in another vehicle began chasing them and firing shots.
The caller told authorities that one of her friends had been struck by gunfire and required immediate medical assistance.
Police officers and Emergency Medical Technicians responded to the scene, where they encountered Mr. Haynes suffering from gunshot wounds. Medical personnel determined that he had no vital signs.
The VIPD has not disclosed what led to the reported pursuit or shooting, whether the individuals involved knew one another, or whether investigators have identified a suspect.
Mr. Haynes's killing comes one week after three people were shot and killed on St. Croix in less than four days, a surge that pushed the territory's homicide count to 44 on October 24.
The violence began Tuesday morning, October 20, when 24-year-old Jahmarie Warden was shot and killed in Old Fredensborg. Police responding to a gunshot detection alert at approximately 10:39 a.m. discovered Mr. Warden lying unresponsive near a vehicle that had been damaged by gunfire.
Two days later, on Thursday, October 22, 17-year-old Ky'janny Niles was fatally shot at the Walter I.M. Hodge Housing Community, commonly known as Sofarelli, in Frederiksted.
Police received reports of gunfire at approximately 9:07 p.m. and subsequently learned that two young men had been wounded. Both were transported to the Juan F. Luis Hospital, where Niles succumbed to his injuries. The second victim, an 18-year-old male, was treated and reported to be in stable condition.
The VIPD subsequently arrested 19-year-old Carim Fingal and charged him with first-degree murder, first-degree assault and carrying a dangerous weapon during the commission of a crime in connection with Niles's killing.
The third homicide occurred early Saturday morning, October 24, when 35-year-old Hillman Faucher Jr. was shot outside The Hide Out Bar on Queen Street in Christiansted.
Police responding to a gunshot detection alert at approximately 3:40 a.m. found Mr. Faucher lying on the ground in front of the establishment. He was transported to the Juan F. Luis Hospital, where medical personnel pronounced him dead.
Those killings followed confirmation that a man critically wounded during an October 1 shooting in Profit Hills on St. Croix had subsequently died from his injuries.
As previously reported by the Consortium, the three killings between October 20 and October 24 occurred in separate communities, with victims ranging in age from 17 to 35. Police have not publicly established any connection between those incidents.
With Saturday's killing of Mr. Haynes on St. Thomas, the territory's homicide count has now reached 45, with St. Croix accounting for 27 deaths and St. Thomas 18.
Authorities have not indicated that Saturday's Hull Bay Road shooting is connected to any of the previous homicides.
The VIPD's Investigation Bureau is continuing its investigation into Mr. Haynes's death and is urging anyone who witnessed the shooting or has information about the circumstances surrounding it to come forward.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the VIPD Investigation Bureau at 340-774-2211, extensions 5554 or 5556, or 340-714-9828. Tips may also be reported through Crime Stoppers V.I. at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), the Chief's Office at 340-715-5548, the Commissioner's Office at 340-715-5506, or 911.
