In the Greater Ville neighborhood of St. Louis, a burst of gunfire on June 21, 2021, shattered the evening calm, leaving a trail of devastation. When the chaos subsided, three men were dead and four others were wounded in the violent encounter. One of the men who lost his life was O.J. Pernell, a 44-year-old male. The shooting also claimed the lives of 40-year-old Kevin Page and 31-year-old Charlie Anderson.
The St.
Louis Metropolitan Police Department was called to the scene at Sullivan and Warne avenues around 7:25 p.m.. Upon their arrival, they discovered a grim scene near a convenience store where two of the victims lay with multiple gunshot wounds; they were pronounced dead at the location. The body of the third victim, later identified as O.J. Pernell, was found on the grounds of the nearby Farragut Elementary School. The four other men who were injured in the shooting were found throughout the area and transported to local hospitals for treatment.
In the aftermath of the deadly shooting, an investigation was launched to bring those responsible to justice. The efforts of law enforcement led to the identification of a suspect. Dianthony M. Lake, 29 at the time, was subsequently arrested and faced a series of serious charges. The St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office charged Lake with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, unlawful possession of a firearm, and first-degree assault with serious physical injury or a special victim.
