Political Quotes

“I stand here today on behalf of slain Virgin Islands Detective Delberth Phipps, Jr. Detective Phipps was killed in the line of duty on July 4, 2023. He and his fellow officers rushed to the scene of an active shooting where a gunman, armed with an AR-15 rifle and bulletproof vest, opened fire. He gave his life in service to his community. My prayers and deepest condolences go to his family, his son, Demel Phipps, along with his loved ones and fellow Virgin Islands Police Department officers. According to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, arms trafficking is a major factor as to why the U.S. Virgin Islands, my home, has had a homicide rate nine times higher than on the mainland. The Virgin Islands does not manufacture guns, yet we have one of the highest per capita murder rates in the world. It is no secret that with open land, there is drug trafficking through our corridor. The weapons that continue to flood our shores are a byproduct of the lax, if not nonexistent, gun laws throughout the continental U.S., particularly Florida, The daughter of multiple generations of law enforcement officers, I understand the commitment of not just officers but their families to protect and serve. I stand with Officer Phipps and all of the Virgin Islands Police Department. You have my commitment to fight for you all. ____________________”