In the late hours of an April night in St. Louis, Missouri, the area beneath the Poplar Street Bridge, a place often filled with the quiet lapping of the Mississippi River, was alive with the roar of over 100 car engines. But the lively gathering turned into a scene of chaos and violence. When the sounds of gunfire pierced the air, the assembly of vehicles scattered, leaving behind a grim tableau.
Responding to a call about a shooting just after midnight on April 13, 2022, St.
Louis Metropolitan Police officers arrived at the 600 block of South Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard to a rapidly clearing scene. Left behind in a vehicle was 28-year-old Fred Moore of East St. Louis, who had been shot and was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other individuals, a 28-year-old man and a 37-year-old woman, had also sustained gunshot wounds but survived the attack.
The investigation into the triple shooting led to the arrest of a suspect. Thirty-one-year-old Brandon Howard was taken into custody and subsequently charged with first-degree murder, assault, and armed criminal action in connection with the death of Fred Moore and the injuries to the other two victims. Following the deadly shooting, city officials announced plans to implement security changes along the riverfront, including the installation of gates to restrict vehicular access after 7 p.m., in an effort to prevent similar incidents in the future. The investigation into the large gathering and the homicide is ongoing, and authorities have urged anyone with information to come forward.
