ST. LOUIS — St. Louis police have arrested a man suspected of killing a person in St. Louis’ Greater Ville neighborhood.
Forty-one-year-old James Miller has been charged with second-degree murder, armed criminal action and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to a report from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, officers responded to a shooting call in the 3200 block of North Newstead Avenue around 1:55 a.m. on Feb. 23. There they found 33-year-old Derrell Barlow lying on the ground with puncture wounds. EMS pronounced him dead at the scene.
SLMPD’s homicide division took on the investigation. They have not disclosed what led to the incident.
A 2021 Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Homicide Analysis by the St. Louis police department shows 32 people, including Barlow, have been murdered in the St. Louis area this year. Twenty of those homicide cases remain open, and many of the deaths were caused by guns, the report says.
Not even two full months into the year, there have also been more than 100 reported shootings in St. Louis.
The city’s 100th shooting happened in the Baden neighborhood. Second Ward Alderwoman Lisa Middlebrook responded to this news and said he has asked police and city officials for more officers, shot-spotter equipment and mobile cameras in hopes of curbing crimes in the neighborhood.
"I know it can be scary to report crimes, but more of my constituents must do it. We can no longer sit and be silent and let things happen around us. When people take ownership and stand up for something, it will help bring crime levels down," said Middlebrook.
She also reminded everyone they can call 911 and the city's non-emergency number 24 hours a day and report crimes anonymously. The police department's non-emergency number is 314-231-1212.
