In the early morning hours of a summer Sunday in St. Louis, a family dispute escalated into a tragedy that claimed the life of 32-year-old Lorenzo Chambers-Harris. On June 21, 2020, in the Academy/Sherman Park neighborhood, what began as a verbal and physical argument between brothers ended in gunfire, leaving one dead and a woman wounded.
The conflict unfolded in front of a home on Vernon Avenue.
After the physical altercation between Lorenzo Chambers-Harris and his brother, Keenen Chambers-King, had ceased, the verbal disagreement continued. As Lorenzo turned to walk towards the front door of the residence, his brother, then 27 years old, produced a firearm and shot him in the head and chest. When police responded to the scene at approximately 3:29 a.m., they discovered Lorenzo on the porch with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A 28-year-old woman was also struck by gunfire, sustaining injuries to her leg and buttocks, but was listed in stable condition after being transported to a local hospital.
Keenen Chambers-King remained at the scene and, according to charging documents, made a spontaneous statement to the responding officers, admitting that he had shot his brother. He was subsequently arrested and charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the fatal shooting.
Lorenzo Chambers-Harris was remembered as a man full of life and personality, whose infectious smile and laughter could light up a room. Born in Houston, Texas, he moved to St. Louis shortly after his birth. He graduated from Gateway Institute of Technology High School and later earned a bachelor's degree in Architecture from Prairie View A&M University. He began his career in architecture in Houston before returning to St. Louis to work as an Inspector for the City of St. Louis Code Enforcement. He also pursued a passion for music, performing as part of the group 'No Doze.'
