ST. LOUIS — The suspect in a December homicide in St. Louis' Carr Square neighborhood has been arrested near Chicago, police said.
Jeffery Avant of East St. Louis was shot on the afternoon of Dec. 29 in the 1800 block of Cass Avenue. Officers arrived to find the 35-year-old inside a home with a gunshot wound to his chest.
Avant was rushed to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
On Friday, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department announced it worked with U.S. Marshals to find and arrest a 53-year-old suspect in Harvey, Illinois.
The man was being held Friday at a U.S. Marshals detention facility awaiting extradition to St. Louis.
Resources for crime victims:
If you have been a victim of a crime or know someone who has been, 5 On Your Side has compiled a list of resources.
Better Family Life is a nonprofit community development organization working to "stabilize inner-city neighborhoods." One aspect of its mission is a gun violence de-escalation program.
Life Outside of Violence "helps those harmed by stabbing, gunshot or assault receive the treatment, support and resources they need to find alternatives to end the cycle of violence."
The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis has an anti-crime program called “Safety Net for Youth Initiative,” which is a joint partnership with St. Louis Public Schools to provide services to at-risk youth.
Cure Violence is an international organization that has recently launched in a handful of St. Louis neighborhoods. Violence interrupters are trained to deescalate violent situations within their own communities.
