In the summer of 2015, a sudden act of violence on a north St. Louis street claimed the life of 50-year-old Willie Reed. On the afternoon of Wednesday, July 8, 2015, Reed was outside a rent-to-own business in the 4300 block of Natural Bridge Avenue when he was punched by an assailant. The force of the blow caused Reed to fall backward and strike his head on the pavement.
Emergency services responded to a call for an assault at approximately 1:26 p.m. and found Reed lying unconscious and bleeding from the back of his head on the parking lot of a mini-mart. He was not breathing and ultimately succumbed to the severe head injuries he sustained in the fall. Witnesses reported that the man who threw the punch quickly fled the scene in a sport utility vehicle that was driven by another individual.
An employee of a nearby store described Reed as a regular and familiar presence in the area. In the immediate aftermath of the incident, St. Louis police initiated an investigation into Reed's death, which was classified as a homicide. However, law enforcement officials did not release a physical description of the suspected attacker.
As of the most recent available information, the case of Willie H. Reed Jr.'s death remains an open and unsolved homicide. No arrests have been made, and no suspects have been publicly identified in connection with the fatal assault.
