JENNINGS, Mo. — A 19-year-old man was charged with murder Tuesday in connection with a shooting inside a cell phone store in Jennings, Missouri, last month.
Joeron Mottley was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the Feb. 26 shooting that left 17-year-old De'Marion Jones dead.
The shooting happened at J's Wireless on the 9300 block of Lewis and Clark Boulevard at around 10:45 a.m. A press release from the St. Louis County Police Department said Mottley was inside the store Jones walked in. When Mottley saw Jones, he shot him in the chest.
The store was also listed on Facebook as "Jays Wireless."
The shooting left Jones critically injured. He died at the hospital a short time later.
Police said the incident was caught on security video. Police also said Mottley admitted to the crime during an interview.
Police said officers learned during their investigation that Mottley and Jones knew each other.
Mottley is being held in the St. Louis County jail on a $500,000, cash-only bond.
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.
To learn more, call 314-381-8200 or visit https://www.betterfamilylife.org/
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.”
To learn more, call 314-327-6697 or email: ProjectLOV@WUSTL.edu
The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis has an anti-crime program called “Safety Net for Youth Initiative,” which is a joint partnership between and Saint Louis Public Schools to provide services to at-risk youth.
To learn more, visit https://www.ulstl.com/anti-crime-initiative.html
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. To learn more, visit https://cvg.org/
