The man who shot a St. Croix police officer Monday while being admitted to the Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital for attempted suicide has been arrested and charged with first-degree assault.
Emanuel Cotto, identified by police as the attempted suicide victim, was arrested around 12:15 p.m. Monday — the same day as the shooting — and is currently being held at Golden Grove Correctional Facility on $75,000 bail pending his advice of rights hearing, according to a Police Department news release.
The 21-year-old Cotto was taken into custody around 11 a.m. Monday in Estate St. John, where officers, responding to a 911 call for attempted suicide, found him with apparent self-inflicted wounds to his wrists. Officers then transported Cotto to Juan Luis Hospital for treatment.
While in one of the hospital’s treatment rooms, Cotto grabbed for an officer’s service weapon and fired a single shot that entered through the officer’s hand and then lodged in his leg, according to a release issued Monday.
As of Thursday evening, it was unclear whether Cotto had received a psychiatric evaluation prior to being remanded to Golden Grove. The Source has attempted to contact Luis hospital officials and will provide a clarification as soon as information becomes available.