A St. Louis man is headed to state prison for 18 years after admitting to a December shooting that wounded a 13-year-old boy in the city’s Baden neighborhood. Prosecutors and court filings say the violence started when someone opened fire into a home on the 800 block of Canaan Avenue, hitting the child and leaving ballistic damage throughout the house. According to authorities, witnesses and surveillance footage later zeroed in on a vehicle that had pulled into an alley behind the home. The sentence comes after months of investigation and an arrest in early January.
Guilty Plea, 18-Year Term
According to FOX 2, Davon Blair pleaded guilty to first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action and received an 18-year state prison sentence. The St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office handled the case, and prosecutors said the plea deal meant there would be no trial. Court documents state the judge imposed the sentence after the agreement was entered in court.
How Police Say The Shooting Unfolded
Police reports say surveillance video and witness statements captured a black sedan pulling into the alley behind the residence, where a person stepped out with an AR-style rifle and fired multiple rounds at about 7:35 p.m. on Dec. 16, 2025, as reported by KSDK. Investigators documented shell casings and damage to the door, a window and the exterior bricks of the home, then later tied the vehicle to Blair. Authorities arrested him in early January, according to court records.
Legal Background
Court filings show Blair was charged with first-degree assault, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon, and his guilty plea led directly to the 18-year sentence, per FOX 2. Records reviewed by reporters indicate Blair had been serving a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to four counts of fourth-degree assault in February 2025, and prosecutors said the new charges violated the terms of that release, according to Yahoo. The plea deal spared witnesses from testifying at trial and ensured prison time for the shooting.
What Comes Next
With sentencing complete, Blair will serve his time in the state prison system, and court records state that no trial will be scheduled following the guilty pleas. Prosecutors did not immediately offer additional comment, and local coverage indicates the plea and sentence effectively close the case. Outlets that followed the investigation and its aftermath include KMOV and KSDK, which first reported on the December shooting that injured the 13-year-old.
