In the early morning hours of Tuesday, September 6, 2016, a violent incident unfolded in the singular darkness of North St. Louis, claiming the life of 26-year-old Shaun Markieth Hawkins. Just before 1:00 a.m., first responders were summoned to the 2800 block of Gamble Street, a residential area lined with apartment buildings. Upon their arrival, they discovered Hawkins outside one of the structures, suffering from a critical injury.
Authorities secured the scene, taping off nearly an entire city block as homicide detectives began their work under the streetlights. It was determined that Hawkins had sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Despite the rapid response of emergency personnel, he was pronounced deceased at the scene, marking another tragic loss for the community in 2016.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department launched an investigation to piece together the events leading up to the killing. At the time of the initial reports, law enforcement officials stated that no suspect information was available for release, and no motives were immediately clarified. The inquiry into his death remained active as detectives sought witnesses and evidence to identify those responsible.
