ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — A newly released video and timeline from the University City Police Department shows the sequence of events that occurred prior to three 15-year-old boys being killed last week when the car they were in crashed into a vacant home.
The video, which includes a combination of police dash camera and surveillance footage, shows an officer try to pull over a white Hyundai the boys were in at about 2 a.m. on Sept. 6 before ultimately ending the pursuit. The car was later found crashed into a home on Groby Road after 6 a.m. All three boys, Deion Robinson, Demetrius Ingram and Johnnie Ursery, were killed.
Immediately after the crash, the boys' families raised questions about whether police had been pursuing the boys when the car crashed.
Before the video and timeline were released Monday, Nikeyia Ingram, Demetrius' mother, said a police detective and sergeant met with the families of the three teens and showed them the surveillance video from prior to the deadly crash when a University City officer saw the car traveling at a high rate of speed on McKnight Road.
The video shows the officer activate his lights and follow the car, which turned its headlights off and was barely visible in the dark. A couple of minutes later, the video shows the officer slow down and deactivate his lights after the car was last spotted in the area of Groby Road and 81st Street.
Ingram said after watching the video that she was satisfied that the police were not chasing the boys when they crashed.
"The kids were speeding, going so fast that the officer lost sight of them," Ingram said.
According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol, the crash happened as Robinson, Ingram and Ursery traveled eastbound on Groby Road at a high rate of speed, down a hill in Deion's mother's car. Investigators said the car failed to make a curve, went across a yard and crashed into a house.
Here is the timeline of events released by University City police:
- 2:23:15 – While on routine patrol officer approaches area of 1000 McKnight.
- 2:23:17 – Officer observes the white Hyundai speeding traveling south on McKnight.
- 2:23:26 – Officer enters southbound McKnight as the Hyundai crests a hill.
- 2:23:27 – Officer temporarily loses sight of the Hyundai.
- 2:23:41 – The Hyundai is spotted at Old Bonhomme and McKnight while the officer is 200 ft behind at McKnight and Rowland.
- 2:23:43 – The Hyundai begins making a left turn from the right turn lane.
- 2:23:45 – The Hyundai completes the turn into the oncoming traffic lane.
- 2:23:50 – The Hyundai turns onto Chartres Ave.
- 2:23:56 – The Hyundai's headlights are turned off. Due to the darkness of the area, the vehicle is barely visible.
- 2:24:02 – The Hyundai continues towards Laval.
- 2:24:15 – The Hyundai moves east on Old Bonhomme.
- 2:24:24 – The officer travels east on Old Bonhomme while the Hyundai continues without headlights and accelerates.
- 2:24:25 – The officer activates the patrol car's emergency lights.
- 2:24:42 – The Hyundai was last spotted in the area of Groby and 81st Street.
- 2:24:52 to 2:24:57 – The officer begins to slow down and eventually deactivates the emergency lights, acknowledging the Sgt.'s instructions not to pursue further and communicates the last known location of the Hyundai.
- 2:25:34 – The officer reports being at Old Bonhomme and Groby as the recording ends, marking the end of the attempted traffic stop
A short time later, the car left the road and crashed into the house. The car is barely visible in the dashcam video released by police, obscured by trees and a lack of lighting as the officer drives by.
Cpl. Dallas Thompson with the Missouri State Highway Patrol said investigators used surveillance video to confirm the crash happened at about 2:30 a.m. There were no skid marks at the scene and no one in the area seemed to have heard the crash.
The car was later found crashed into the home on Groby Road at around 6:30 a.m. No calls regarding the incident were received before then.
"In our enduring commitment to respect and transparency, the University City Police Department has prioritized updating the families of the deceased first and foremost during this difficult time," the department said. "We extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends affected by this tragedy. As we continue our meticulous investigation, we stand firm in our dedication to providing them, and the community, with accurate and prompt updates."
Hours after police released the video, Chris Davis, Johnnie Ursery’s uncle, told 5 On Your Side, “We firmly believe the officer was in pursuit. We want full transparency from the police department. We want the unedited footage and the GPS movement of the officer.”
The video released by the department may be viewed below. It shows the timeline of events listed above and does not show the moment of the crash.