DET. Delberth Phipps, Jr.

Officer: Virgin Islands Police Department, Detective Delberth Phipps, Jr.

Date: 7/4/2023            Location: St. Thomas, USVI             FACTORS (1,2,7,15,19,21)

Perpetrator(s) Involved: Richardson Dangleben, Jr.

Criminal Activity History/Involved: Yes, besides a prior arrest for assault, Dangleben was arrested in February for first-degree murder. / Yes, Dangleben illegally possessed firearms and ambushed responding officers.

Mental Illness: None stated.

Substance Abuse History/Involved: Unknown. / None stated.

Race/Sex/Age: Black/Male/51

What prompted the initial contact with the killer? At around 7:53 a.m. on July 4, 2023, Virgin Island Police Officers responded to a 911 call of a man, Richardon Dangleben, Jr., “wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying a gun.”

Actions taken by subject toward police: Upon seeing the officers, Dangleben opened fire on them with a “high-powered assault rifle,” fatally hitting Detective Delberth Phipps, Jr.

Reactions by the police: Officers immediately returned fire, injuring Dangleben and stopping his deadly assault.

How murdered? Detective Phipps was ambushed and shot responding to a 911 call.

What could have been done differently for the officer to still be alive? NA, Det. Phipps courageously responded with other officers to investigate a dangerous situation.

Would the officer have been justified in using deadly force before being murdered? NA, Det. Phipps was ambushed.

Outcome for the cop-killer: Dangleben was taken to a hospital to treat his injuries and remains in custody awaiting charges.

Miscellaneous: This was a preventable tragedy – Dangleben should have still been in jail on first-degree murder charges from earlier in the year but instead the judge lowered his bail and he was released without even having to “post any cash, subject to electronic monitoring or house arrest.”