Statement by Attorney General Vincent Frazer in Response to the Coki Spoint Shooting

I was deeply saddened and angered Monday to learn of the shooting death of 14 year-old cruise ship passenger, Liz Marie Perez Chapparro from our neighboring territory of Puerto Rico. 

Even more tragic and further incensing is that the crossfire that Chapparro was caught in while seated on a safari taxi in Coki Point, St. Thomas erupted during the funeral service for yet another one of our native sons, 20 year-old Jospeh Ferrari, who was gunned down at the Tutu Park Mall only twelve days prior. 

My heartfelt condolences go out not only to the Chapparro family, whose vacation and whose lives have been permanently marred by reckless violence, but also to the mourners, whose final prayers and respects for Ferrari were interrupted by the same senseless gun violence that claimed his young life in the first place. 

I also extend my sympathies to the friends and family of yet another victim of Monday’s gun battle, 18 year-old Jahid Joseph.

Additionally, I mourn for our entire Virgin Islands Community. It is a sad day when community members cannot lay their loved one to rest in peace.

The Department of Justice looks forward to the capture of the person(s) responsible for Monday’s shooting and stands side by side with the Virgin Islands Police Department in a collaborative effort to bring those persons to justice. In doing so, I reaffirm the Department’s “zero tolerance” policy against the unauthorized possession of a firearms by any person who is not licensed to possess and carry such a firearm. 

Any individual caught with an unlicensed firearm in his or her possession will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. All plea deals will be off the table. Those convicted of such a crime will be subject to the maximum penalty behind bars. 

I caution young men and women who may be home from college for the summer months, who may find themselves in the company or vehicle of someone in possession of an unlicensed firearm. They too may be subject to prosecution and interruption of their college career. 

This “zero tolerance” policy has been instituted in an effort to deter the tendency of residents, especially youth, to settle their disputes with street vengeance, gun violence and retaliatory killing.

A Department of Justice Victims’ Service coordinator will remain in contact with the Chapparro family as this case is further investigated and subsequently adjudicated. 

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