Sept. 8, 2002 – Police officers dispatched to the D. Hamilton Jackson Terrace public housing community shortly before 8 p.m. Sunday in response to reports of shots fired were directed to an apartment where they found the bullet-riddled body of Walston Tonge, believed to be in his 30s.
Police officials said afterward that they have no motive or suspects in the killing, the 30th this year in the territory.
At the scene, Apartment 17 of Building 3, Deputy Police Chief Angel Santos said Tonge was pronounced dead within minutes of being shot.
"Forensics investigators are interviewing a number of people who have come forward to assist us in the investigation," Santos said. The murder weapon was not found, Santos said, but a number of spent automatic weapon ammunition casings were found "in the vicinity of Building 3."
Santos praised residents of the public housing community, commonly called "Red Brick," for coming forward with information about the incidents that led to Tonge's death. "Despite the crime wave we have seen in recent weeks, I can say with certainty that the community is clearly behind us; they want to help," Santos said.
The fatal shooting was the second in the Red Brick community within two weeks. On Aug. 27, Jose Williams Torres, 27, a resident of the JFK housing community, was gunned down outside Building 11 of D. Hamilton Jackson Terrace. Police found his body lying face down with multiple gunshot wounds.
Santos asked that anyone with information about the shooting call police investigators at 778-4950, 778-2211 or the emergency number 911.
The homicide is the 13th recorded on St. Croix and the 30th in the territory this year. As of this time last year, the death toll stood at nine on St. Croix and 16 territorywide.
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