Rico Coleman, a forty-two-year-old African American male from St. Louis, Missouri, was fatally shot on August 16, 2018. Known to friends and family by his nickname and rapper alias '2FLO,' Coleman was a lifelong resident of the area, having been born in St. Louis to Willie Copeland and Ossie Lee Coleman. He had attended schools within the St. Louis Public School System and worked as a brick mason during his adult life, while also pursuing a passion for music that earned him a dedicated
following in his community.
The incident leading to his death occurred in the Academy neighborhood of St. Louis. Police officers responded to a call regarding a shooting and discovered Coleman lying on a sidewalk, suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite the arrival of emergency responders, he was pronounced dead at the scene. His body was found in an area that became the focus of a homicide investigation as detectives worked to piece together the circumstances of the violence that claimed his life.
Following the discovery of his body, investigators canvassed the neighborhood and sought information from the public, but public reports from the time did not immediately name a suspect. While the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department continued their inquiries into the fatal shooting, no details regarding specific arrests, charges, or the identity of a perpetrator were widely released in the immediate aftermath of the crime. Coleman was survived by his mother, son, and several sisters, who mourned the loss of a man remembered for his musical talent and deep ties to his local community.
