Last night in Skinker-Debaliviere, a St. Louis neighborhood, two young men fell victim to gunfire in what police believe to be a targeted shooting. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) responded to a call from the 5300 block of Pershing Avenue, where the incident took place around 11:20 p.m. Details provided by SLMPD indicate the victims, both 23, were part of a group outside a residence when assailants in a dark-colored sedan arrived and opened fire.
The shooters, described only as several unknown individuals, proceeded to quickly exit the vehicle and shoot at the group. One of the men suffered a chest wound while the other was hit in the leg. Emergency medical services were promptly called to the scene and transported the victims to a local hospital. The man with the chest wound was reportedly in critical but stable condition, while the man shot in the leg was deemed to be in stable condition.
The motive behind the shooting is yet to be determined, and it remains unclear whether the victims were the intended targets. As of now, the SLMPD's District 5 is handling the ongoing investigation. Authorities have not released descriptions of the suspects or the vehicle involved beyond its color.
SLMPD is urgently calling for tips from the community to help catch the perpetrators. Those with information about this violent event can confidentially reach out to CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477) for a potential cash reward. Tips can also "to directly be submitted" to a detective on the case at 314-444-0001. CrimeStoppers emphasizes that only tips leading to an arrest may render the tipster eligible for a reward.
