The V.I. Police Department on Monday arrested 32-year-old Ashnel Evelle Walters on St. Croix and charged him in a shooting that killed a horse and injured the man riding it.
According to police, at 4:40 p.m. Sunday, the 911 call center received a report of shots fired in the Estate Work and Rest area. Officer’s at the scene found multiple shell casings on the ground in the roadway and a dead horse in the area. The horse had been shot multiple times.
According to the VIPD preliminary investigation, a man was riding the horse when a car pulled up next him and someone in the vehicle fired multiple gunshots, striking the victim in the mid-section of the body and killing the horse. Police did not release the name of the man who had been injured, in accordance with VIPD policy of not identifying victims of non-fatal crimes.
The victim was transported by private vehicle to the Juan F. Luis Hospital where he was treated for injuries sustained from gunshot wounds.
Walters was charged with first-degree assault and the police said other charges may be pending. He was remanded to the Golden Grove Detention Center pending advise of rights hearing.
This case is under investigation by the Major Crime Unit. Police urged anyone with information about the crime to call the bureau at 340-778-2211, or call 911 or the anonymous tip service, Crime Stopper USVI, at 1-800-222-8477.
The horse was examined by the Department of Agriculture’s veterinarian and this incident is also being investigated by the VIPD Animal Cruelty Division.