ST. JOHN, U.S. Virgin Islands – A 20-year-old St. Thomas man was shot and killed in a broad-daylight shooting in the Bordeaux Mountain area of St. John on Tuesday, marking the island’s first recorded homicide of 2026.
The deceased has been identified as Kerwan Warrington, who succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds at the Roy Lester Schneider Regional Medical Center on St. Thomas.
According to the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD), officers received a 911 call at approximately 11:41 a.m. reporting gunfire in the Bordeaux Mountain area. The caller indicated that one injured male was being transported by private vehicle to the Myra Keating Smith Community Health Center in Susannaberg.
A short time later, authorities received information that a second male victim was also being transported to the facility with gunshot injuries.
Due to the severity of his injuries, Warrington was transferred by boat across Pillsbury Sound to the Schneider Regional Medical Center on St. Thomas, where medical personnel attempted to save his life. He was subsequently pronounced dead.
His identity was confirmed by next of kin. Police had not released an official update on the condition of the second shooting victim as of Tuesday evening.
Previous Encounters With Police
Warrington had previous encounters with law enforcement involving firearms and ammunition.
In April 2026, he was arrested following a high-speed police pursuit along Veterans Drive on St. Thomas. The chase ended when the vehicle he was driving crashed into a concrete wall on 5th Street. He reportedly fled on foot before being apprehended.
Police recovered an automatic machine pistol conversion device and an assault rifle with .223 ammunition during that incident.
In August 2025, Warrington was also arrested by the VIPD’s Special Operations Bureau following a vehicle stop in Red Hook. A search reportedly uncovered ski masks, .223 rifle ammunition and a licence plate removed from a stolen Jeep Wrangler on St. John.
Homicide Investigation Underway
Detectives assigned to the Criminal Investigation Bureau’s Major Crime Unit have launched an investigation into Tuesday’s fatal shooting.
No suspects have been publicly identified, and police have not disclosed a possible motive.
The shooting has raised fresh concerns about gun violence in the US Virgin Islands, particularly the use of high-powered firearms and the continued threat posed by armed individuals.
Police are appealing to anyone with information about the shooting, including anyone who may have seen individuals fleeing the Bordeaux area, to come forward.
Information can be provided to the Major Crime Unit at (340) 774-2211, extensions 5554 or 5556. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers USVI at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).