Suspect Taken Into Custody, Weapon Recovered in After-Parade Shooting

Police on site worked quickly to contain the crime scene after a man was gunned down Saturday night in the area near the Lutheran Church and Emancipation Garden. (Photo by Ananta Pancham)

The St. Thomas Carnival Adults Parade had just finished, and cleaning crews were sweeping the streets when shots rang out downtown, leaving one man dead and traffic locked up for more than an hour as police tried to contain the crime scene and question witnesses.

Details are scarce at this time, though VIPD has confirmed that the original call of shots fired came in to 911 right before 9 p.m., and that the shooter has been taken into custody and the weapon recovered.

Witnesses at the scene said the victim was a man on one of the cleaning crews who was approached by shooter and gunned down, though VIPD said officers will be combing through surveillance footage from the area to determine exactly what happened. Right now, it’s known that incident occurred in the area between the Lutheran Church and Emancipation Garden around the crowds of people – many of whom were still in their parade costumes – that were making their way to the Carnival Village to watch the fireworks.

No one else appears to have been injured, though police have said that a separate stabbing incident also took place.

The Source will update as more details become available.