On September 3, 2016, a violent disturbance erupted in the early morning hours within the Academy neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri. African American resident Shawndreaka Lakes, a 20-year-old female, was near the intersection of North Kingshighway and Maple Boulevard when an argument spiraled into a deadly shooting around 2:00 a.m. The confrontation involved multiple individuals and resulted in gunfire that struck three people.
Antoine Bronner, a 27-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene by first responders. Lakes was urgently transported to a local hospital in critical condition, where she succumbed to her injuries and passed away. A third victim, Lakes' 17-year-old sister, suffered gunshot wounds to her face and legs but survived the attack.
Law enforcement officers quickly identified a suspect, Kelvin D. Ford III, initiating a pursuit to bring him into custody. Ford attempted to evade capture by fleeing in a vehicle and subsequently on foot, but he was eventually apprehended by authorities. Following the investigation, prosecutors charged Ford with multiple serious offenses, including two counts of second-degree murder, three counts of armed criminal action, and one count of first-degree assault for the shooting of the surviving teenager.
The legal proceedings stretched over several years, complicated by challenges in securing witness cooperation. In 2021, rather than proceeding to a trial that faced evidentiary hurdles, a resolution was reached through a plea agreement. Ford admitted to the killings and the assault, accepting a sentence of 15 years in prison. The conclusion of the case brought a final legal ruling to the tragic events that claimed the lives of Lakes and Bronner.
