The Virgin Islands Police Department has said little publicly about the killing of Tre’Vante Etienne. That is not necessarily a criticism.
Our detectives have a responsibility to protect the integrity of a case, follow the evidence where it leads, and avoid saying anything that could jeopardize a future prosecution. Those are responsibilities we should all want them to take seriously.
But while investigations require silence, leadership often requires something else.
At the center of this tragedy is a family mourning the loss of a son. Tre’Vante’s family is grieving, as are his friends, classmates, teammates, teachers, neighbors, and a community trying to make sense of a loss that has left far more questions than answers.
The investigation will hopefully confirm what happened and determine who is responsible, and those answers matter. But they are not the only questions being asked. Parents are wondering how to help their children process what happened. Young people are trying to understand a tragedy that has shaken their sense of normalcy. Families are asking what support exists for those most affected and who is bringing those conversations together.
Saturday night, Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. called on the community, government included, to come together and create safe spaces for young people. The question now is what that means in practice.
Who is responsible for convening schools, coaches, counselors, churches, youth organizations, parents, and community leaders? Who is coordinating the support that young people and families may need in the days and weeks ahead?
These questions are not answered by an arrest, nor do they require details from an active investigation. They require leadership.
To its credit, the Department of Health quickly announced behavioral health support for those affected by Tre’Vante’s death, recognizing that violence leaves behind more than an investigation. It leaves behind grief, trauma, fear, and confusion. There should be room for more of those conversations, more resources that support emotional health and healing, and more discussion about what support looks like in practice.
Because leadership, particularly in moments like this, is not only about solving a crime. It is about standing before a grieving community and making clear that our young people matter enough to deserve a coordinated response.
The investigation may tell us what happened. Leadership should help us decide what happens next.
And as that conversation unfolds, remembering the young life at the center of this should also be a priority. Tre’Vante was a son, a brother, a friend, a teammate, a classmate, and a young man known and loved by many people in this community.
Let’s rally around his family and hold them up in our thoughts, prayers, and actions. Those with information about what happened, please report it by calling the Criminal Investigation Bureau at 340-774-2211, extensions 5555 or 5556, or Crime Stoppers V.I. at 800-222-8477.
Publisher’s Note: As with all signed editorials, the views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Source’s staff, contributors, or affiliated organizations.
