Mugshot of Calvin N. Belle Jr. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. CROIX — VIPD officers on Thursday afternoon arrested first-degree attempted murder suspect Calvin N. Belle Jr., following a manhunt initiated Wednesday for his arrest.
According to the police department, on Wednesday at approximately 5:16 p.m., an emergency call reported a stabbing at the Sprat Net Bar in Cane Bay, leading to a swift response from local law enforcement.
The victim, found bleeding on the ground by the first responders, was quickly transported to Juan F. Luis Hospital with serious injuries following an attack to his neck. The victim is said to be in critical but stable condition and has been airlifted out of the territory for further medical attention.
The suspect, identified as 23-year-old Calvin N. Belle Jr. from the John F. Kennedy housing community, was implicated in the incident. Investigations by the Criminal Investigation Bureau, aided by surveillance footage, revealed that Belle, unprovoked, attacked the victim from behind with a knife.
Despite initial efforts to evade capture, including the issuance of a wanted poster across social media and local news outlets, Belle's whereabouts became a priority for the authorities, the VIPD said.
He turned himself in at the Wilbur H. Francis Command Police Station on Thursday at around 2:20 p.m., accompanied by his defense attorney. Belle was officially arrested at 2:26 p.m., facing charges of first-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, and possession of a dangerous weapon during the commission of a crime of violence.
Following his arrest, Belle's attorney made a successful appeal to Judge Yolan Brow Ross at the Superior Court, securing a bail arrangement. Belle was granted the option to post $5,005.00 in bail for his release to a third-party custodian. This bail was promptly posted, and Belle was released pending his Advice of Rights hearing scheduled for Friday at the V.I. Superior Court.
