ST. THOMAS — New details of a shooting incident that occurred at the Emerald Beach Resort in St. Thomas emerged during an advisement hearing in the V.I. Superior Court on Wednesday.

Osie Ferguson, age 42, who is accused of assaulting his coworker was arrested and charged on Monday with first-degree assault, third-degree assault, illegal discharge of a firearm, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of ammunition, reckless endangerment in the first degree, disturbance of the peace by fighting, simple assault and destruction of evidence.

According to the probable cause fact sheet, on Sunday officers of the V.I. Port Authority Police Department were dispatched to the Emerald Beach Resort where an alleged fight was in progress. When V.I.P.A. police arrived, contact was made with the victim who stated that he and Osie Ferguson were involved in a physical altercation in the kitchen of the Caribbean Fusion Restaurant of the Emerald Beach Resort.

Investigations revealed that after the physical altercation, Ferguson left the kitchen through the rear door, re-entered the kitchen and confronted the victim with a chrome-colored handgun. It was then that the victim said he heard a gunshot and began to run away. He then heard a second shot and realized he was struck.

The victim then ran out of the kitchen through the dining room entrance and ran towards the front of the hotel where he was met by V.I.P.A. police, according to the probable cause fact sheet. The officers then made contact with central dispatch to have Emergency Medical Services travel to the hotel to attend to the shooting victim.

An inspection of the crime scene revealed that there were signs of a shooting (spent casings), which were recovered by forensics. Investigations also revealed that there had been previous animosity between Ferguson and the victim, and that Ferguson had made comments about using a firearm in the victim’s presence.

The victim sustained a gunshot wound to the left buttock with no exit wound. The victim’s clothing was also recovered by forensics.

A firearm registry check was conducted and it showed that Ferguson did not have a permit to carry a firearm in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Ferguson surrendered himself to police on Monday. At the time of his arrest, he was asked for the firearm used during the assault, however he told police he dismantled the weapon and threw the pieces along the road heading towards the University of the Virgin Islands.

In court on Wednesday, a judge ruled that Ferguson would only be released pending trial if he was able to post 20 percent of the $300,000 bail amount. If released, he must stay at least 75 ft away from the victim at all times. Ferguson is further barred from leaving the St. Thomas-St. John district without the court’s written permission, and must surrender his driver’s license.

He must report to the Office of Probation twice a week and if he loses his job, he must report it and commence a work search within 24 hours.

Ferguson must have no contact, directly or indirectly with the victim or any witnesses in the matter.

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