Armed Suspect Fires at Officers After Fleeing Tint Stop in St. Thomas

A traffic stop over windshield tint on St. Thomas escalated when the driver fled and fired at officers. Akimo Smith, 22, was arrested and found carrying a Glock 21 with an apparent conversion device.

St. Thomas Traffic Stop Ends in Shooting After Suspect Flees on Foot

A routine windshield tint check on Back Street in St. Thomas turned into a shooting incident late on September 18 after the driver fled the scene, led officers on a foot pursuit, and fired at least one shot at pursuing officers, yahoo.com reports.

The incident began at approximately 11:48 p.m. when Virgin Islands Police Department Special Operations officers, assisted by Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority enforcement officers, were conducting traffic enforcement on Wimmelskafts Gade. Officers spotted an Acura TSX with windshield tint extending below the AS-1 line and moved to initiate a stop.

According to an official VIPD press release, the driver — later identified as 22-year-old Akimo Smith — refused to comply and instead accelerated away at high speed. Officers launched a search for the vehicle and located it near Bluebeard's Castle Hotel.

During the foot pursuit that followed, Smith turned and fired a shot at the officers. Officers engaged him and took him into custody without further incident.

A pat-down conducted after the arrest produced a Glock 21 .45-caliber handgun, which fell from Smith's person. VIPD stated the firearm appeared to be equipped with a firearm-conversion device.

Smith faces a lengthy list of charges, including attempted murder, first-degree assault, third-degree assault, illegal discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of ammunition within 1,000 feet of a school. Additional charges include unlawful possession of a firearm capable of conversion, possession of a conversion kit, and felon in possession of a firearm.

He was advised of his Miranda rights before being booked, processed, and transferred to the U.S. Virgin Islands Bureau of Corrections. A request to the Bureau of Corrections for additional custody records was referred back to the VIPD press release, with no further information publicly available at the time of the report.

Source: Google News VI — Crime