Lizmarie Perez Chapparro
Cruise Ship Passenger Shot In Port Of Call
St. Thomas U.S. Virgin Islands - July 12, 2010
Lizmarie Perez Chapparro, 14, of Puerto Rico was shot and killed on a cruise ship excursion, after she arrived aboard Carnival Cruise Lines' Carnival Victory at 11:50am on Monday, July 12, 2010.
Chapparro was aboard a "safari bus" on an excursion with her family when the bus passed through the gun fire of two drug gangs having a shoot out. She was wounded as she sat on the bus, and later died after she was rushed to the island's Schneider Regional Center.
Another passenger aboard the bus was also injured from the gunfire, but had only minor injuries according to reports.
When police arrived at the scene, they found the body of Shahid Joseph, 18, lying in the street, along with a loaded ammunition clip. He apparently was involved in the shoot out. Police were told that Steve Tyson was at least one of the other parties involved in the shooting and may be responsible for the murder of both Chapparro and Joseph.
A police statement said that Monday's victims were killed by bullets sprayed from a red Honda Civic and by a person attending a burial at a cemetery in Coki Point.
The cemetery is next to the very popular Coki Point Beach.
Carnival spokeswoman Jennifer De La Cruz is reported as having said that Carnival Corp has suspended all excursions that include the St. Thomas neighborhood where the violence took place until further notice.
Salvatore Messina, Carnival Victory's captain told passengers in a letter,
"A small group of guests, participating in independent sightseeing activities, were victims of a random exchange of gun-fire between local residents while en route to the Coki Beach area," the captain said in his letter. "Although these individuals were not on a shore excursion purchased through the ship, Carnival has nonetheless suspended tours to the Coki Beach area until further notice. All of us are shocked and deeply saddened by this tragic event," and he urged passengers to keep the slain passenger's family and friends in their prayers."
Carnival Victory left San Juan, Puerto Rico on Sunday July 11 for a seven-day cruise. After the stop at St. Thomas, the ship left around 1700 hours on Monday for Dominica. Then went onto Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and St. Maarten before returning to San Juan.
