On April 12, 2016, thirty-one-year-old Willie Crowder died in a shooting incident at his residence in the 8500 block of Riverview Boulevard in the Baden neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri. Police officers responded to the home around 6:00 a.m. after receiving a call regarding a shooting. Upon arrival, they discovered Crowder inside the residence suffering from a single gunshot wound to the head.
He was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical personnel.
The investigation conducted by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department determined that the shooting was accidental and self-inflicted. According to reports, Crowder was in the process of unloading a firearm when the weapon inadvertently discharged, striking him. The incident was initially classified as a 'suspicious death' pending an autopsy, but investigators ultimately concluded that there was no foul play involved.
Due to the accidental nature of the death, there were no arrests made in connection with the case. Police did not seek any suspects, as the evidence indicated that Crowder was alone handling the weapon at the time of the discharge. Consequently, no criminal charges were filed, and the case was closed as an accidental shooting rather than a homicide.
