Driver Killed by Shots from Passing Car

A 41-year-old man was shot and killed and two female minors were injured Saturday evening on Smith Bay Road, the V.I. Police Department reported.

At least three vehicles sustained gunshot damage in the incident, which happened at 6:15 p.m.

Police identified the male victim as 41-year-old Irvin Clendinen Jr., who was shot at least once in his upper body and was later pronounced dead by medical staff. It was the 11th homicide on St. Thomas since the beginning of the year, the 20th in the territory.

According to the preliminary investigation, officers were dispatched to a vehicle accident on Smith Bay Road. At the same time police were notified of a shooting on the road between the Point Pleasant Hotel and the Smith Bay playground. Officers inspected a grey vehicle in the area and saw a man in the driver’s seat who was unresponsive.

Three female minors were also in the vehicle. One minor had a gunshot injury on her hand and another minor had cuts from broken glass.

The three victims – the two injured minors and Clendinen – were taken by ambulance to the Schneider Regional Medical Center.

Detectives said Clendinen was traveling eastward on Smith Bay Road with the three minor female passengers. He and the minor were struck by gunfire discharged by passengers in two or more vehicles travelling in the opposite direction on the same road.

Officers and investigators on the scene discovered a second vehicle nearby that had been struck by bullets and sustained damage from a collision with another vehicle. No driver or passengers from the second vehicle were identified as of Sunday night. A third vehicle police suspected was also involved, was found nearby in the Tutu Hi-Rise housing community. That vehicle also sustained damage from bullets. Investigators are continuing to gather information on the incident.

The case is under investigation by detectives of the Major Crimes Unit. Anyone with information regarding the incident can call the VIPD Major Crimes Unit at 1-340-642-8449, through the 911 emergency call center, or by calling the anonymous tip service, Crime Stoppers VI, at 1-800-222-84771-800-222-8477. People with information can also send a text, “USVI” plus the message, to CRIMES, or 274637.