On March 7, 2021, a nine-year-old African American boy named Caion Greene was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in St. Louis, Missouri. The incident occurred in the LaSalle Park neighborhood, specifically on the 900 block of LaSalle Park Court, just south of the downtown area. Caion was sitting in the back seat of his family’s SUV, accompanied by his mother, her fiancé, and his seven-month-old brother.
The family had traveled to the area to drop off food at Caion's grandmother's home.
As the vehicle was parked, individuals approached and opened fire on the car with dark-tinted windows. Bullets struck the young boy in the chest while he was inside the vehicle. His family members, including the infant, were not physically injured during the barrage of gunfire. Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, Caion succumbed to his injuries. At the time of his death, he was a fourth-grade honor roll student who was scheduled to receive an award for perfect attendance the following day. Investigators initially believed the shooting was a case of mistaken identity.
Police arrested a suspect, Darryl Lamont Williams, approximately three weeks later on March 31, 2021. Williams, who was 17 years old at the time of the shooting, was initially charged as an adult with first-degree murder, three counts of first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon, and armed criminal action. Authorities indicated that they were also searching for a second suspect involved in the attack, though news reports focused primarily on the legal proceedings against Williams.
In July 2024, Darryl Williams reached a plea agreement with prosecutors. He pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of second-degree murder, as well as three counts of first-degree assault and one count of unlawful use of a weapon. Following the plea, a judge sentenced Williams to 15 years in prison for his role in the death of Caion Greene. The sentencing brought a measure of legal closure to a case that had drawn significant attention due to the young age of the victim and the random nature of the violence.
