Kittitian charged with three counts of attempted murder

ROAD TOWN, Tortola-KERIS PHIPPS, of Molineux, St. Kitts, was charged January 16 with three counts of attempted murder for two shooting incidents.

The 25-year-old resident of Hodges Creek was brought to justice by the Anti-Drug and Violent Crime Task Force of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) for two separate June 2008 shootings.

The first incident took place on June 13 in Fat Hogs Bay and involved Phipps allegedly firing shots at a man and his girlfriend driving on a public road. The second took place seven days later and resulted in a rental car being fired upon multiple times outside of the East End Community Centre in Old Plantation. 

The cases were allegedly linked through matching bullet remains and casings found at the scene of both crimes.
Phipps appeared before Magistrate Valerie Stephens last week, where he was read the charges against him, but was not required to render a plea. 

In addition to the attempted murder charges, Phipps also had three counts of possession of a firearm with intent to injure and three counts of carrying an unlicensed firearm levied against him. 

According to a release from the RVIPF, “The Anti-Drug and Violent Task Force is aggressively pursuing a number of gun-related crimes believed to be connected. The investigation in connecting these crimes is getting the added input from the expertise of UK officers”.

After being read his charges, Phipps was remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison where he awaits a court date on February 10.