ST. LOUIS — A 9-year-old boy was one of two people shot late Friday afternoon on the city's north side, marking the fourth time in just over a week that a child was injured or killed by gunfire in St. Louis, police said.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department said the boy was shot while walking on the 4300 block of North Florissant Avenue shortly before 4:15 p.m.
In an earlier related incident, police said a 24-year-old man was grazed in the head by a bullet about 1 1/2 miles away in the 4500 block of Clarence Avenue.
According to a woman who identified herself as the man's girlfriend, the pair were having work done on the woman's gray Cadillac SRX when several men pulled up in a dark grey Volkswagen SUV and began shooting at them. The couple sped away and came to a stop on the 4200 block of North 21st Street.
As they were driving, the 20-year-old woman said they were fired on again near the intersection of Carter Avenue and Ferry Street. The 9-year-old boy, who was walking nearby, was struck in the leg.
Police said both shootings victims were conscious and breathing when they were taken to area hospitals. Their conditions were described as stable.
The 20-year-old woman, who asked that her identity be withheld, was not injured.
The 9-year-old boy is the latest victim in a string of recent shootings involving children in St. Louis.
Paris Harvey, 12, fatally shot her 14-year-old cousin, Kuaron Harvey, on March 25 in a unit inside the Cupples Station Loft Apartments in the 1000 block of Spruce Street.
After Kuaron was shot, a video streamed live on Instagram appeared to show Paris picking up the gun, which again went off, fatally striking her. Family members said they believed the shootings were accidental.
Police are still investigating who owned the gun and whether anyone will face charges in connection with the children's deaths.
On Tuesday, a 10-year-old found an AR-style shotgun on the bed of a relative's home on the 5600 block of Summit Place. The boy picked it up and fatally shot his 12-year-old brother, LaFrance Johnson.
Johnson's aunt, Aja Johnson, 36, was charged Wednesday with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. She is being held without bond.
Another child, Terrion Smith, 16, was shot multiple times on March 11 in the lobby of the Ely Walker Lofts on Washington Avenue. No one has been charged in his death, though police said it appears Smith was targeted.
In total, at least 33 children 17 and under have been injured or killed by gunfire in 2022, according to 5 On Your Side data.
Correction: April 2, 2022
An earlier version of this article, citing the victim's girlfriend, misstated his age. St. Louis police on Saturday said the man grazed in the head by a bullet is 24 years old, not 26 years old.
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 with 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/