Three men were arrested on Feb. 6 in connection with the recent murder of Erran Charles, but by the next morning they had been released without charges pending further investigations, police reported.
Mr. Charles was fatally shot just after 9 p.m. on Feb. 3 near the Huntums Ghut basketball court. A 17-year-old was also wounded during the shooting, and was subsequently treated at Peebles Hospital, according to a press release issued last week.
Police did not identify the three people who were arrested or provide further details about the case, but said inquiries are ongoing.
The officer leading the investigation, Detective Chief Inspector Neil Castle, said police still need assistance from members of the public.
“I would urge anybody with any information in relation to the shooting to contact the Major Crime Team at 368-9809 or 368-9342,” he added. “Your calls will be treated in confidence.”
Mr. Charles, 34, studied business administration at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College and worked as a chef at Royal Caribbean International, according to his Facebook page.
His death marked the first homicide in the territory of 2019. Last year, six people were shot and killed in the Virgin Islands.
Shortly after the shooting, police admitted that they had few details about the incident, but promised that officers would continue to conduct interviews.
Police Information Officer Diane Drayton added that since the beginning of the year, the police force has deployed extra armed officers on evening and overnight patrols, particularly around “large gatherings and hotspot areas.”
“Through these efforts, much of the antisocial behaviour around communities has been minimised,” Ms. Drayton wrote, but did not go into further detail.