A 14-year-old female was shot to death in the US Virgin Islands by stray bullets from a drug-related shootout. The Puerto Rican tourist was vacationing in the Virgin Islands with her family, who watched helplessly as the young woman was gunned down in front of them.
A young man from St. Thomas was also fatally wounded during the shootout. At the time, he was attending the funeral of another man who had been shot to death in June. Bullets were fired in front of the cemetery by gang members driving a red Honda Civic. Their target was a rival gang member attending the funeral. The rival fired back at the Civic.
This isn’t the first time that innocent bystanders have been killed or maimed by rival drug gangs in the Virgin Islands, but it is the first time that such a violent act has occurred in broad daylight on a crowded street. The family, along with other tourists, were traveling to Coki Beach on a bus as part of a Carnival cruise package. Coki Beach is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the US Virgin Islands.
At first the police had a hard time determining who the intended target was. Within a short period of time, though, they discovered that the event was connected to drug trafficking. Three people have been taken into custody as “persons of interest,” but no files have been charged.
Carnival Cruise Lines says that it is temporarily suspending tours in the area.
(Image via: Vacation of My Dreams)