Crime

Woman Accused of Stabbing Another in Back After Rejected Hand Gesture

ST. THOMAS — Renique Francis is facing third-degree assault and weapons charges after police said surveillance video and eyewitness accounts linked her to the stabbing of a woman near Kronprindsen Gade late Monday night. Francis was arrested after officers found her playing dominoes in Simmonds Alley. Police said blood was visible on her pants, and bystanders subsequently identified her as the person who stabbed the other woman. The incident was first reported to a patrol officer by a passerby. When the officer arrived, he found a woman suffering from a stab wound to her back. The injured woman was transported to the Roy Lester Schneider Hospital for treatment. Bystanders directed the officer toward Simmonds Alley and described the suspect as someone who “frequently causes issues in the area,” according to police. Based on the physical description provided, officers identified Ms. Francis as the suspected assailant. Police entered the alley and found Ms. Francis seated at a domino...