Police have identified the victim of a shooting Sunday night near the Carnival Village on St. Thomas as Dion Williams, 26.
The VIPD’s Shot Spotter system detected multiple gunshots in the area of Fort Pladsen at the same time that a 911 call came in reporting that two men had been shot and needed immediate medical help.
Officers responding to the scene found both victims suffering from gunshot wounds. One was rushed to Schneider Regional Medical Center. Williams, who had no signs of life, was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:59 p.m. by emergency medical technicians, according to police.
His death marks the fifth homicide of the year on St. Thomas and the 12th in the territory, according to the Source Homicide List.*
Just 24 hours earlier, on Saturday night, May 3, gunfire erupted inside the Carnival Village, forcing a premature end to the weekend’s final festivities.
VIPD officers were called to the Fort Christian Parking Lot, where they found a man unresponsive near the restroom walkway. He had suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim was later identified as 26-year-old Franky Matthew.
The Carnival Village was promptly shut down at 12:15 a.m. Sunday, canceling the remainder of the night’s performances. Police have not released details on a motive or suspect.
Up until the end of Saturday’s Carnival Adults’ Parade, Police Commissioner Mario Brooks was praising the efforts of law enforcement to keep the fete safe and violence-free. At a press briefing held Monday, Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. called the shootings “a reminder of the challenges we face as a community.”
VIPD’s Major Crimes Unit is actively investigating both cases and urging anyone with information to come forward. Tips can be submitted to the Criminal Investigation Bureau at 340-714-9823 or 340-714-9829, to VIPD directly at 340-774-2211, or anonymously to Crime Stoppers USVI at 800-222-TIPS.
*The Source Homicide List is a chronological log of the homicides recorded in 2025 in the U.S. Virgin Islands, as reported by the VIPD. Cases are broken down by island. While this listing is based on VIPD reports, the Source does not include suicides or vehicular homicides in its listing, which the police and some other media do. This can lead to a discrepancy in the number of incidents reported.
