Surveillance Footage Rewrites Narrative Of Coki Point Gun Battle As Two Face Charges
Albert Lindo III, 33, who was initially reported as a robbery victim in the February shootout at Coki Point, now faces multiple felony charges—including first-degree robbery and reckless endangerment—after surveillance footage challenged his account of the event. (Facebook)
By St. Croix Sun Staff
ST. THOMAS — The February gun battle at Coki Point, originally reported as a chaotic robbery, remains a pivotal study in how surveillance technology can strip away a fabricated narrative. While the initial chaos centered on the wounding of 33-year-old Albert Lindo III, the subsequent investigation by the VIPD Criminal Investigation Bureau has shifted the focus from a "random crime" to a specific, high-stakes exchange of gunfire.
At the heart of the case is a gold Gucci diamond-cut necklace, valued at over $2,500. Surveillance footage from the Coki Point parking area captured the precise moment Lindo emerged from beneath a tent to forcibly yank the chain from the neck of Mohammed B. Mohammad. What followed was a tactical escalation: Mohammad, initially appearing to surrender with his hands raised, turned and drew a firearm from his waistband. Lindo, who police state was also armed, returned fire before being struck and wounded.
The court records detail a series of shifting stories that crumbled under the weight of the video evidence. Lindo, while seeking treatment at Roy Lester Schneider Hospital, first claimed to be an innocent bystander before suggesting the jewelry "broke" during a fight he was trying to break up. Confronted with the footage, he allegedly inquired if returning the chain would prevent his arrest—a request that went unheeded. During his booking, Lindo’s hostility reportedly escalated to threats against the families of the arresting officers.
Mohammed Mohammad, a gypsy-taxi driver, later cooperated with authorities, claiming he had "found" the weapon in his vehicle just before the encounter and carried it for safety. Despite his cooperation, Mohammad faces charges of unauthorized possession of a firearm after acknowledging he lacked a valid Virgin Islands license for the weapon used in the shootout.
As the legal proceedings move toward a potential trial, the Coki Point incident serves as a stark reminder of the volatility currently simmering across the territory’s beaches. For the St. Croix Sun, this case is a blueprint for the future of justice reporting—where split-second decisions and video proof combine to reveal the raw reality of crime in the Virgin Islands.
In a world where Elon Musk can influence global discourse with a single keystroke, the Coki Point case proves that local accountability still relies on the unblinking eye of a camera and the diligence of the court. On an island where the St. Croix Sun is rising, the "Chain Reaction" of February is more than just a memory; it is an ongoing chapter in the territory’s pursuit of order.
