After a car chase, shoot out and manhunt, V.I. Police were battling rumors Thursday night along with the two suspects they took into custody around 7 p.m.
The men were masked and were reported to be driving recklessly in the Altona and Welgunst area around 3:05 p.m., which was when the first call came into 911 dispatch. While it was said they robbed the Banco Popular headquarters in the area, St. Thomas Chief of Police Steven Phillips said that’s not the case, though officers sent out to investigate after the call did discover the car the men were driving was stolen.
A chase ensued, with the suspects taking police up Mafolie Hill where they ran through a checkpoint, damaging two VIPD vehicles before heading near the Louisenhoj Castle, where Phillips said shots were discharged, but at this point, the investigation into who fired at whom is still ongoing, he added.
The next call came from a resident in the Hull Bay area saying one of the men was in their yard, bleeding from a gunshot wound. Police were able to take him into custody and get him transported to Schneider Regional Medical Center, while combing through the bushes nearby for a second suspect, which they also found and detained.
A third was said to be in the car, and Police issued an early press release saying they were on the lookout and questioning residents in the area. The information was amended around 7 p.m. when Phillips said it was discovered that there were only two suspects.
Traffic on the Northside, which was in gridlock during the search, also lightened up around that time.
