Man held in Coki killings facing weapons charges in another case
Published: August 27, 2010
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Police say that nearly two weeks before Steve Tyson allegedly shot two teenagers at Coki Point beach he tried to run over a man in Frydenhoj and shot at him several times.
The man escaped uninjured, and Tyson fled in a vehicle, according to a police statement issued Thursday.
Tyson, 22, of Smith Bay, was charged with third-degree assault, unauthorized possession of a firearm and illegal discharge of a firearm in connection with the June 30 incident.
Tyson walked into Farrelly Justice Complex on July 13 after a 24-hour islandwide manhunt on St. Thomas. He was arrested and charged with the July 12 shooting deaths of 14-year-old tourist Liz Marie Pérez Chaparro and 18-year-old St. Thomas resident Shaheel Joseph.
Police say the deaths were the result of a gun battle between Joseph and Tyson, during a burial service at Coki Point Cemetery. Shortly after the gun battle, three suspects were taken into custody as persons of interest and released.
St. Thomas-St. John Deputy Police Chief Dwayne DeGraff said Thursday that he did not know whether police still were seeking suspects in the Coki shootings or whether the case had been closed.
Tyson has been held without bail at the Bureau of Corrections since he surrendered to police in July. He was rearrested Thursday on the new charges on a warrant signed by V.I. Superior Court Magistrate Judge Alan Smith, and bail was set at $35,000.
Tyson was scheduled to be advised of his rights at 9 a.m. today.
— Contact reporter Constance Cooper at 774-8772 ext. 364 or
e-mail ccooper@dailynews.vi.
