VIPD Says 63 Guns Were Taken Off St. Croix Streets in 2025 as Gunfire Drove 15 of 16 Homicides

ST. CROIX — The V.I. Police Department said in its 2025 recap earlier this week that detectives on St. Croix removed 63 firearms from the streets last year, a figure the department paired with a grim assessment of the island’s homicide picture: out of 16 killings in 2025, all but one were the result of gunfire.  The figures were presented in a video published Sunday, which VIPD said was intended to provide the community with an overview of investigative efforts, progress made throughout the year, and the continued work being done to enhance public safety in the U.S. Virgin Islands.  The presentation opened with St. Thomas-St. John-Water Island Chief of Police Deborah Hodge, who said the recap could be viewed as the state of VIPD from an operational perspective. She said each island has its own dynamics, but that the districts have recognized how connected they are and have “made a commitment to join forces in the fight against crime.”

For St. Croix, the update was delivered by Lieutenant Marisol Colon, commander for the Criminal Investigation Bureau on the island. Colon said the bureau had 445 cases assigned in 2025, including 42 domestic violence cases. She said detectives made 108 arrests during the year, with 23 of those tied to homicide or serious assault matters, according to the department’s recap.  Colon said detectives also removed 63 firearms from the streets in 2025. She added that the majority of those firearms were confiscated by one detective assigned to the Major Crime Unit, a result she singled out for praise during the presentation.

The firearm figure carried added weight in light of the department’s homicide data. Colon said St. Croix recorded 16 homicides in 2025. “It's sad to say that out of 16 homicides, for the exception of one, everything was as a result of gunfire,” she said.  According to Colon, two of those homicide cases resulted in arrests. She said the June 25, 2025 killing of Jordan Jones at the boardwalk led to the arrest of a 15-year-old minor who was bound over as an adult and is awaiting trial. Colon said Angelo Javier Carmona is awaiting trial on murder, first-degree assault, third-degree assault, reckless endangerment, robbery, and unauthorized possession of a firearm charges.

Colon also stated that the Dec. 30, 2025 killing of Janice Rivera at Estate Rattan led to the arrest of Jaden M. Francis, 22, who she said was charged with murder, reckless endangerment and possession of a firearm and is awaiting trial.  The presentation also addressed two police shooting involvement cases on St. Croix. The commander said Keja Andreos was killed on Jan. 5, 2025 in Frederiksted, and Alejandro Torres was killed on July 17, 2025 at LBJ Gardens in Christiansted. In both cases, she said detectives in the Criminal Investigation Bureau’s Major Crime Unit had completed their investigations and were awaiting the Office of the Attorney General to conclude its part.  READ MORE...https://viconsortium.com/vi-crime/virgin-islands-vipd-says-63-guns-were-taken-off-st--croix-streets-in-2025-as-gunfire-drove-15-of-16-homicides