Home News Local news Carnival Revelries Marred by Homicide

Carnival Revelries Marred by Homicide

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April 28, 2005 – St. Thomas Carnival festivities were marred Thursday when a 22-year-old man was shot and killed while behind the wheel of his vehicle on Norre Gade near the site of the former Traffic Bureau.
After being shot, Jamall C. Richards, Bovoni resident, drove his vehicle – a green Honda – east on Norre Gade toward Wet Willie's – hitting at least two other cars before coming to a stop. Richards died before reaching the Roy L. Schneider Hospital, according to James McCall, assistant commissioner of the V.I. Police Department.
McCall said the police had no motive or suspects in the shooting, which is St. Thomas's fifth homicide of the year, the 10th for the territory.
McCall said, "We are interviewing people we believe may have been witnesses.
"I'm sure we will be putting out a reward for information leading to an arrest in this case," McCall said. "I don't know yet what the amount will be."
The incident occurred after the end of J'ouvert, a Carnival event that brings thousands of people to the downtown Charlotte Amalie area to dance in the streets and party behind the island's popular bands – moving slowly from Subbase into downtown. The shooting occurred about an hour and a half after the end of J'ouvert, which wound up within blocks of the incident.
Police were out in full force for J'ouvert and netted some weapons in the process, McCall said.
"The SOB [Special Operations Bureau] unit confiscated a firearm and several knives," according to McCall.
He said seven arrests were made.
The last homicide that occurred during St. Thomas Carnival time was in 1999 when 26-year-old Ferlyn Harris was shot once in the head on opening night of Carnival Village.
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the major crimes unit at 715-5534, 715-5546 or 911.

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