Violent beach attack forces man to seek refuge in St. Croix Waters

ST. CROIX – Emergency responders in St. Croix were called to the rescue early Friday morning after a violent attack led to him taking refuge in the sea.

According to the police report, the incident, which took place near Coconut on the Beach in Frederiksted, saw multiple emergency services respond to a report of a possible drowning.

VI Police received the call about a man in distress in the waters near the old Coconuts area around 5:30 a.m. When officers arrived on the scene, they encountered a witness who stated he heard cries for help coming from the beach, prompting him to investigate.

According to the witness, he found the victim in the water and managed to bring him to land with a surfboard. The victim reported to emergency responders that he had been attacked on the beach by a person armed with a pipe, causing him to flee into the sea to escape further damage.

When questioned, the victim detailed events from the previous day, describing how he had allowed a man to use his mobile phone near the health care facility in Frederiksted. However, he said the man allegedly stole his phone, and a confrontation ensued. According to the victim, the situation escalated the next morning when the same person approached him again, this time with a weapon.

The victim described a brutal attack in which he was repeatedly beaten with metal rebar across his head, face and torso. The attacker, who was described by the victim as a thin man wearing beige shorts and possibly a blue shirt, threatened to kill him during the attack. In an attempt to defend himself, the victim used a stick to hit his attacker, but eventually fled to the water to escape further damage.

Emergency medical personnel on scene reported visible injuries to the victim and noted red fluid on his forehead and leg. Complaints of pain in his rib and knee area were also recorded. After initial treatment at the scene, the man was transported to Juan F. Luis Hospital for further evaluation and care.

Police confirmed that the Detective Bureau has taken over the case and will continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack.