On Monday, a St. Louis court handed down a ten-year sentence to Robert Harper, 43, for the shooting of his former girlfriend. The violent incident took place in the city's Benton Park West neighborhood, specifically on the 2900 block of California Avenue, back on January 19, 2023. According to a report by the St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office, Harper pled guilty to first-degree domestic assault and armed criminal action.
The prosecution's narrative details that Harper, after an interaction outside her home, stepped out from his car and proceeded to shoot his former girlfriend in the face with a semiautomatic firearm. This brutal action not only severed the peace of that January night but also left the victim with serious injuries that later required stitches. The response to the crime was swift, with the victim being taken to the hospital shortly after the assault.
Assistant Circuit Attorney Carley Johansson and Special Victims Unit Supervisor Jeremy Crowley took the lead in prosecuting the case. Their efforts culminated in a conviction that puts Harper behind bars for a decade. In a statement obtained by the St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore commented on the nature of Harper's act, saying, "Shooting someone in the face is an act of pure brutality. Robert Harper's actions were calculated and cruel, and there must be consequences for violence like this."
