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Police Officer Wounded in Shootout

A Virgin Islands Police officer was wounded by gunshot early Saturday morning and a man was killed in the shootout at a St. Croix nightclub.

Three men were arrested and will be charged with assault, police said, and a bystander was also struck by a bullet.

According to the V.I. Police Department, the officer, who was not identified out of concern for his safety, was off duty when the incident occurred at about 3 a.m. at the Front Line Nightclub.

The preliminary report said a man and his girlfriend were leaving the nightclub when they were confronted by several men. Shots were fired and the boyfriend – whose name also was not released – was fatally wounded while sitting in his truck in the parking area. Emergency medical personnel at the scene later said the victim had no vital signs.

His death was the fifth homicide on St. Croix since the beginning of the year, the 12th in the territory.

Witnesses alerted the off-duty police officer who was inside the club. The officer approached the same group of men, some of whom had weapons displayed. He identified himself and ordered them to drop their weapons. They did not comply and shots were fired. The police officer was shot in his back and the suspects fled the scene in a vehicle.

The police officer was taken to the Juan F. Luis Memorial Hospital, where he was taken into emergency surgery. As of Saturday evening he was listed in stable condition.

A short time later police were notified of a vehicle accident in Morning Star. When they arrived at the scene they saw that two passengers had gunshot injuries and the driver and another passenger had injuries resulting from the crash. Police confiscated at least five firearms from the vehicle.

All five people who had been in the vehicle were taken to the hospital for treatment. They were identified as Elijah Felix, 18, Eugene Roberts, 26, Derick Liburd, 23, Lester Roberts, 24 and Larry Williams 29. The suspects were charged with first-degree assault, among other violations.

Police said another person who was not involved in the fracas at the night club was hit by a stray bullet. That person was also treated at the hospital.

"This type of situation is a test of the Virgin Islands Police Department’s resolve," St. Croix Police Chief James Parris said. "We will continue to provide for the safety and security of the citizens of this community despite the resistance of a few lawless individuals. However we will not tolerate any unprovoked assault on our officers and we will leave no stone unturned to bring those guilty of such behavior to justice."

Editor’s note: The story has been updated, with the names of the suspects being added, the charges expanded and the nature of the officer’s wound clarified.

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