St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands – On Saturday, January 17, 2026, arrested 28-year-old, Lafayette Artis, Jr. for Aggravated Assault & Battery and Interfering with an Officer Discharging his Duties.
While on patrol in Christiansted town, Special Operations Bureau were notified of a male cursing profanity and causing a disturbance in the Pan Am Pavilion business area. Officers observed the male, later identified as Lafayette Artis, Jr., who then exited the Pan Am Pavilion and eventually made his way on Queen Cross Street. He stood in the middle of the roadway obstructing the normal flow of vehicle traffic and refused to move out the roadway when ordered to do so by the Officer. As the Officer attempted to move him out of the roadway, he began to fight the officer and held onto the officer’s bullet proof vest. Artis Jr. was ordered to release; however, he did not comply to the Officer’s command, he was subsequently tased, placed in handcuffs, and placed under arrest without any further.
Artis, Jr.’s bail was set at $1,000.00.
