In the early evening of a Thursday in St. Louis County, Missouri, 13-year-old Clifford Swan III was spending time with friends. He had been helping his grandmother move into her new house earlier and had called his family to let them know he was at a friend's house playing a game. Shortly after that call, while on the sidewalk in front of an apartment complex in the 11100 block of Oak Parkway, he was struck by a bullet. The incident occurred on September 12, 2019.
Emergency services were called, and the young male was rushed to a nearby hospital, but the gunshot wound proved to be fatal, and he was pronounced dead.
The family of the young boy, who was affectionately known as 'NuNu,' was devastated by the sudden and violent loss. His mother described him as a funny, outgoing child who loved to joke and enjoyed school. She firmly believed that her son was an innocent bystander and not the intended target of the gunfire. His brother recounted the last conversation he had with Clifford, just minutes before the shooting, highlighting the ordinary, playful nature of the moments leading up to the tragedy.
In the wake of the shooting, the St. Louis County Police Department launched an investigation that quickly led to a suspect. The following day, authorities arrested 18-year-old Jabari Lowery. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with Clifford Swan's death. A judge set his bond at $500,000, cash-only. During Lowery's arrest, another teenager, 17-year-old Montez Eskew, allegedly became physically aggressive with the arresting officers. Eskew was also taken into custody and charged with third-degree assault and resisting or interfering with a felony arrest. His bond was set at $50,000, cash-only. The investigation suggested the shooting may have stemmed from an ongoing dispute, although Clifford's family maintains he was not involved in any conflict.
