An armed black man was shot to death in the streets of St. Thomas Monday—yet another example of the wanton violence gripping the territory’s neighborhoods while the annual tourist season peaks a few blocks away.
St. Thomas Police Chief Rodney Querrard announced late Monday that 31-year-old Jibaro A. Nibbs, a St. Thomas native, died from multiple gunshots while sitting in the front seat of a white Acura Integra near the Hospital Ground basketball courts just after 4 p.m.
For a victim, Nibbs was well armed. Police found a .40 caliber pistol and a 9mm semi-automatic handgun on his body, one tucked into his waistband and the other stashed in a holster on his ankle.
“This senseless killing occurred [in] high day, in the presence of many witnesses,” Querrard said in a statement issued after 8 p.m. Monday.
Querrard did not stop his comments there.
“How can one accept this type of behavior? How can a person sleep after witnessing someone losing their life, no matter what problem they may have had with that individual?” Querrard said in an uncharacteristically raw commentary that seemed to show his frustration at the bodies already stacking up this year after a record of 56 homicides in the territory last year.
“We are human beings! This is not supposed to be an accepted practice!” he said. “We as a community all have to stand against this apparent accepted practice among our young black males.”
Police have asked anyone who was in the area of the basketball court or surrounding area who witnessed this killing, or saw the suspect(s) running from the area, to please call the Major Crime Unit at 340-642-8449, 911 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
