Aug. 20--ST. CROIX -- The V.I. Police Department is vowing to change its approach when responding to and investigating crimes following the shooting Saturday night of St. Croix Police Chief Christopher Howell and Officer Elsworth Jones.
Howell and Jones were wounded about 9 p.m. at a road block set up to capture suspected armed robbers when a car drove up and opened fire on them.
Both men were in stable condition at Luis Hospital on Sunday, according to a statement issued by V.I. Police Commissioner Henry White Jr.
Howell underwent surgery Saturday night after being shot in the left arm and in the lower back, and Jones was injured in the face by shrapnel and gunfire, according to White.
Both men were recovering but might need additional surgery, White's statement said.
Following the shooting, St. Croix Deputy Police Chief James Parris said the department will look at its procedures for how it responds to and investigates criminal incidents.
Four police officers have been shot in the line of duty in the last three months in the territory.
In a statement issued Sunday evening, Gov. John deJongh Jr. said that a person of interest has been detained by police for questioning in connection with the shooting of Howell and Jones.
Parris would not confirm that a person of interest was taken into custody early Sunday morning in the Frangipani area, nor would he confirm that police were looking for individuals in the Estate Grove Place area.
However, a heightened police presence in those two areas, caused residents to grow increasingly alarmed.
Howell and Jones were responding to a call of a robbery in progress, after three people robbed patrons of jewelry and cash at Eat at Cane Bay in Estate La Vallee, police said. More than 20 people were at the restaurant, and shots were fired during the robbery, but no one was injured, according to police.
The robbery call came in to emergency dispatchers about 8:40 p.m., according to police.
Howell and Jones had established a road block near the Mon Bijou community when a gray compact car matching the description of the car involved in the robbery drove up.
Parris said the road block was set up on the escape route from the area, and as the car approached, the passengers inside fired on Howell and Jones.
Residents in the area told police that seven to 10 shots were fired at the two officers.
White and Lt. Gov. Gregory Francis met with the injured officers at Luis Hospital on Saturday night, and Gov. John deJongh Jr. visited them on Sunday, according to Government House.
At Luis Hospital Saturday night, more than a dozen marked and unmarked police vehicles filled the parking areas, and about 30 officers stood on high alert inside and outside the emergency room.
The hospital was put on security lockdown and then on a heightened security alert, which is customary at the facility when a gunshot victim is getting medical attention.
Police units raced around the Morning Star, Salt River, Mon Bijou and Canaan Ridge areas after the shooting, and officers set up a dragnet into the early hours of Sunday morning to try to catch the shooters, who police believe were hiding out in the thick forest areas.
Parris said that Criminal Investigation Bureau detectives are investigating the robbery and shootings.
"We have some leads and we are going to vigorously investigate them," he said.
Parris said a clear message has to be sent that it is not open season on police officers and they are to be respected for the job that they do.
"We have had two officers in the St. Thomas District shot while on routine patrol, just a few months ago and now this," he said. "Every day our officers leave their homes. They don't know what they will face, but we have to work to protect them."
On May 26, Police officers Aaron Hodge and Colvin Georges were shot while patrolling in the Contant area on St. Thomas. Hodge is expected to make a full recovery while Georges, who was shot in the neck, has been left paralyzed from the neck down.
Hodge and Georges were shot when they approached a group of men, one of whom began shooting at them, according to police.
The officers returned fire, and Gerald Jackson, 23, was killed.
Parris asked residents to come forward with information that could help police in their investigation.
Anyone with information can call detectives at 712-6077 or 712-6037 or the anonymous tip line at Crime Stoppers USVI at 1-800-222-8477.
- Contact reporter Fiona Stokes at 714-9149 or email [email protected].
Copyright 2012 - The Virgin Islands Daily News, St. Thomas
