Seven months after gunfire shattered the quiet on a Walnut Park East block, St. Louis police say they have their suspect.
Officers this week arrested a St. Louis woman in connection with an October shooting that left another woman wounded on the 4500 block of Thrush Avenue in Walnut Park East. The victim was hit by a bullet in the back during the early-morning incident and was driven to a hospital by her sister, who told investigators she heard about seven shots as the attack unfolded.
According to FOX 2, police arrested Jania M. Graham on May 7, 2026. The St. Louis Circuit Attorney has charged her with first-degree assault, armed criminal action, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful use of a weapon and first-degree property damage.
A probable-cause statement cited by FOX 2 says Graham walked out of a residence and began arguing with a woman who was sitting in a vehicle. She then went back inside to retrieve a firearm before shots were fired, according to the document. Two male friends who were working on the vehicle’s transmission were nearby when the shooting happened. Officers later met the victim and her sister at the hospital. Graham remains jailed without bond and was on probation at the time of her arrest, according to the outlet.
Neighborhood Context
Walnut Park East has seen multiple shootings in recent years, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's homicide tracker, which logs fatal and nonfatal shootings across the city. That history has kept investigators busy and helps explain why detectives stayed on the October case for months before making an arrest.
Charges And What They Mean
First-degree assault is defined in section 565.050 of the Missouri Revised Statutes and is typically a Class B felony. The armed criminal action statute, in section 571.015 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, allows courts to impose additional, consecutive penalties when a deadly weapon is used. Together, those charges can expose a defendant to years in prison if convicted.
What Happens Next In Court
Online court records did not list a scheduled appearance at the time of reporting, according to FOX 2. Prosecutors with the St. Louis Circuit Attorney's office will decide whether to seek any additional charges or detention motions as the case moves through the city court system.
