Upper Pastory residents were awakened late Wednesday night, June 21, by the sound of gunfire, followed by a possible chase, according to eyewitnesses. Around 12:30 a.m., I heard two shots, then five shots, said one Upper Pastory resident.
Another resident also heard the gunfire, then witnessed an unfamiliar car drive down into her neighborhood, she said.
I heard the shots, and I came up out of bed to see if I could see any movement, she said. Then I see this white Blazer-looking vehicle come down the road into my neighborhood. At that point, I walked outside and I saw this person come walking up the steps of the building next door.
The Pastory resident identified the person as a black male whom she did not recognize as a resident of the neighborhood.
I figured Id better stand back a little bit and get out of sight, she said. He walked up to another neighboring building and stood at the landing. At that point, I came inside because I was really afraid.
Man Lurked in Neighborhood
The man, who walked casually through the neighborhood, did not appear to be fleeing, said the Pastory resident.
He walked around casually, kind of like he was looking around, she said. He didnt seem like he was trying to hide. My heart was pounding.
Soon after the resident lost sight of the man, the white SUV sped away, she said.
I lost sight of him, and the next thing I knew, that white vehicle was getting out of there, said the Pastory resident. They were trying to get out in a hurry.
Another Upper Pastory resident said he witnessed two black males who spoke with West Indian accents get out of the white SUV after it drove into the neighborhood.
I think we all were woken up by the gunshots, and I sort of laid there for a minute deciding whether to ignore it all and go back to sleep, when the car came down the road with its headlights pointed directly into my bedroom, he said. It stopped, and they turned off the headlights. I heard the car doors open, and then the guys were right underneath our bedroom window.
The Pastory resident said he heard the men climb down into the bush and saw them carrying a small flashlight.
The resident said he then saw a V.I. Police Department (VIPD) vehicle driving up Centerline Road with its blue lights flashing.
The men went into the bush, and at that point, the police were going up Centerline, said the Pastory resident. I heard them talking about the police, trying to decide whether to stay until the police car was out of sight. They were saying, wait until he stops moving and then well go.
Men Left After Police Passed
The men sped away after the police passed by, according to the Pastory resident.
As soon as the police were out of sight, they came out of the bush, got in the car and sped away, he said.
Both Pastory residents who heard the gunfire and witnessed the white SUV enter their neighborhood were unsure if the men were chasing someone or trying to escape after being shot at.
They probably were getting chased down that way and didnt realize it was a dead end, said the male Pastory resident. They kind of skidded when they came down the corner, like they were looking for a place to hide. I think they were lurking around the neighborhood, waiting for an opportunity to get back out.
Incident Reported as Shots Fired
It was not clear whether the man who was lurking around the neighborhood on foot was one of the men from the white SUV, according to residents.
The incident was reported to the VIPD at 12:35 a.m. as a concerned citizen calling about shots fired in Pastory, according to the public record at the VIPD Leander Jurgen Command.
The VIPD blotter indicates no officers were sent to investigate the scene, and residents near to where the incident occurred said police they did not come into the neighborhood, they said.
There were no reports of anyone injured by gunfire on Wednesday night, according to the police blotter.VIPD spokesperson Shawna Richards did not respond to requests for information on the incident from St. John Tradewinds.
