HomeNewsLocal newsLicensed Firearm Owner Charged in Fatal Sion Farm Gas Station Shooting

Licensed Firearm Owner Charged in Fatal Sion Farm Gas Station Shooting

A licensed firearm owner has been arrested and charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a man Friday evening at a Sion Farm gas station, according to the Virgin Islands Police Department.

Police identified the suspect as Brian Schooler, who was arrested after officers responded to reports of gunfire at approximately 7:07 p.m. at the WMJR Service Gas Station near Sion Farm, according to a VIPD police report.

The 911 Emergency Call Center received a ShotSpotter notification along with several calls reporting shots fired and a gunshot victim, police said.

Responding officers found Pedro Melendez Sanes suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene, according to the report.

Police said Schooler was identified at the scene and transported to the Criminal Investigation Bureau, where he was arrested and processed.

According to the police report, Schooler was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree assault, reckless endangerment and discharging a firearm.

Police said bail was set at $1 million. Unable to post bail, Schooler was remanded to the John A. Bell Adult Correctional Facility pending his advice of rights hearing in Superior Court on Monday.

Keeping our community informed is our top priority.
If you have a news tip to share, please call or text us at 340-244-6631.

Support local + independent journalism in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Unlike many news organizations, we haven't put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as accessible as we can. Our independent journalism costs time, money and hard work to keep you informed, but we do it because we believe that it matters. We know that informed communities are empowered ones. If you appreciate our reporting and want to help make our future more secure, please consider donating.


Jobs - Click Here