On January 23, 2018, an African American male named Darian Jordan, 22, was tragically killed in downtown St. Louis, Missouri. The incident unfolded on a Tuesday afternoon following a dispute that began on public transit. Jordan had been riding a MetroLink train when he became involved in a heated argument with a group of individuals. As the train arrived at the Union Station stop, the altercation spilled out onto the street near the intersection of 18th and Clark Avenue.
As the group
exited the station, the verbal confrontation escalated into violence. A 20-year-old man, identified by authorities as Jerome Brooks, produced a firearm and fired at Jordan. Jordan was struck by the gunfire and was subsequently transported to a local hospital by a private citizen who had witnessed the scene. Despite the efforts to save him, Jordan succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the medical facility.
Homicide detectives with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department launched an immediate investigation into the shooting. Through witness statements and evidence gathered from the scene, they identified Brooks as the primary suspect. Two days after the murder, on January 25, 2018, police located and arrested Jerome Brooks. He was subsequently charged in connection with Jordan's death and held on a $100,000 cash-only bond.
The killing drew particular attention from local media and the community due to a striking coincidence regarding Darian Jordan's family. At the exact time Jordan was gunned down, his brother was standing trial in a St. Louis courtroom, facing charges for the shooting of a police officer. The overlapping tragedies highlighted a grim period of violence for the family, as one brother faced the justice system while the other lost his life on the city's streets.
