St. Croix fugitive sought in domestic violence case has prior shooting charge

The Virgin Islands Police Department is searching for Wayne Burke, a 24-year-old St. Croix resident wanted in an aggravated assault case involving domestic violence, authorities said Wednesday.

Burke has surfaced as a fugitive after a prior brush with serious criminal charges. In February 2020, when he was 18, police issued a wanted bulletin after he discharged a firearm at an officer who was responding to an attempted armed robbery at a KFC location in the Sunny Isle Shopping Center. He turned himself in the following month and faced charges including first-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment, and illegal weapons violations.

Now, six years later, Burke has re-emerged as an active fugitive on the island. Police say he regularly spends time in the Walter I.M. Hodge Pavilion housing community in Frederiksted.

According to law enforcement, Burke is a Black male standing approximately 5-foot-9 and weighing around 160 pounds. He has short black hair, brown eyes, and a brown complexion. No occupation is listed for him.

The public is warned not to approach Burke. Anyone with information about his location should contact 911, the Wilbur H. Francis Command at (340) 778-2211, or Crime Stoppers USVI at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through crimestoppersvi.org.