A St. John man surrendered to authorities Wednesday after police identified him as the suspect in two separate shooting incidents that took place in December 2024, the V.I. Police Department announced.
Jose Bolques, 39, turned himself in at the Leander Jurgen Command around 1 p.m., according to the Virgin Islands Police Department. He faces multiple charges, including illegal discharge of a firearm, reckless endangerment, unlawful possession of ammunition, and possession of an unlicensed firearm within 1,000 feet of a housing community or preschool. His bail was set at $50,000.
The first shooting occurred on Dec. 9, 2024, at approximately 8:45 p.m., when the ShotSpotter alert system detected gunfire near Mongoose Junction. Three days later, at 1:27 a.m. on Dec. 12, officers responded to another report of shots fired at Upstairs Bar and Grill. Investigators recovered spent shell casings at both locations and later determined Bolques was responsible for both incidents.
The Criminal Investigation Bureau continues to investigate. Anyone with information is urged to contact 911, the Criminal Investigation Bureau at 340-693-8880 ext. 5207, or Crime Stoppers V.I. at 800-222-8477 (TIPS).
