On March 9, 2018, violence erupted in the Vandeventer neighborhood of North St. Louis, Missouri, claiming the lives of two men. Authorities responded to the scene in the afternoon hours, discovering a chaotic aftermath that left the local community shaken. Among the victims was Cedric Hair, a 40-year-old male who was found suffering from fatal gunshot wounds. The incident occurred in a residential area, drawing immediate attention from the St.
Louis Metropolitan Police Department's homicide detectives.
The double shooting also resulted in the death of a second victim, identified by officials as 43-year-old William Kemper. Police arrived to find the men in critical condition, but despite the response of emergency services, the injuries proved too severe to survive. Investigators immediately began canvassing the scene for ballistic evidence and witnesses, treating the deaths as a double homicide.
In the wake of the tragedy, law enforcement released the identities of both Cedric Hair and William Kemper, hoping to garner leads from the public. At the time of the initial reports, details regarding a specific motive or the events leading up to the gunfire remained sparse. Detectives urged anyone with information to contact the homicide division or CrimeStoppers, as they worked to piece together the circumstances that led to the untimely deaths of both men. No immediate arrests were announced in the initial aftermath of the investigation.
