On the morning of September 23, 2015, a violent incident unfolded in the Dutchtown neighborhood of South St. Louis, Missouri, resulting in the death of 21-year-old Leon Clark, an African-American male. Around 11:52 a.m., Clark was walking near the 3800 block of Dunnica Avenue when he was confronted by an armed individual. Witnesses reported seeing Clark being chased down the street by the assailant, who fired multiple shots at him as he attempted to flee.
Clark eventually fell to the ground, at which point the shooter approached him and fired additional rounds before fleeing the scene toward Keokuk Street. When first responders arrived, they found Clark lying unconscious in the street with multiple gunshot wounds to his upper torso, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department began canvassing the area and spoke with residents, initially struggling to find cooperative witnesses. However, testimony was eventually secured from two individuals, August Lombardo and Kelly Massey, who resided on the street where the shooting occurred. They identified the shooter as Nathan Jerome Allen, a man with whom they were acquainted. The investigation revealed that the motive for the killing was likely rooted in retaliation; Allen had reportedly been shot previously by Leon Clark’s brother, Leondre Clark, and sought revenge against the family. Allen had refused to cooperate with police regarding his own shooting but instead targeted Leon Clark.
Nathan Jerome Allen was subsequently arrested and charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with Clark's death. During the legal proceedings, the defense attempted to cast doubt on the credibility of the witnesses, citing their own criminal histories, but the prosecution maintained that Allen acted with premeditation. In March 2020, a jury in the Circuit Court of the City of St. Louis found Allen guilty on all charges. The conviction brought a measure of closure to the case nearly five years after the fatal shooting occurred on the streets of St. Louis.
