An argument between 29-year-old Miguel Johnson and the mother of Syntrell Howard at an apartment in the 4400 block of Forest Park Parkway on May 3, 2023, quickly escalated into a fatal street chase. Howard, 22, and his friend, Ta'Shaun L. Patterson, 23, intervened in the dispute, which resulted in them chasing Johnson out of the apartment. Johnson, clad only in his underwear, was pursued by the two men onto the street.
The chase ended tragically near the intersection of Laclede and North Taylor avenues in the city's Central West End at about 3:45 p.m. In front of several witnesses, Patterson and Howard shot Johnson multiple times. The two assailants fled the scene but were swiftly apprehended by police. Johnson was rushed to a nearby hospital, but he succumbed to his gunshot wounds less than an hour later.
Ta'Shaun L. Patterson was initially charged with first-degree murder, but the charge was later amended to second-degree murder as part of a plea agreement. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and armed criminal action. Patterson was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison for the murder, with an additional three years to be served consecutively for the armed criminal action charge.
