On December 28, 2024, police responded to a report of shots fired at approximately 12:15 p.m. in the parking lot of a Schnucks grocery store located at 49 South Florissant Road in Ferguson, Missouri. Upon arrival, officers found that the individuals involved in the altercation had already fled the scene. A short time later, a Ferguson police officer discovered an abandoned, disabled vehicle near South Clark Avenue and Carson Road.
Inside the vehicle, authorities found 19-year-old male Ramone-Kaleb Henderson, who had sustained at least one fatal gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation revealed that the shooting stemmed from a gun transaction that turned into an attempted robbery. According to police reports and court documents, Henderson and a friend, 19-year-old Clarence Brown, had met with another individual in the Schnucks parking lot. Brown allegedly admitted to investigators that the meeting was arranged to trade an AR-15 rifle for a Glock handgun. During the exchange, detectives state that Henderson produced a firearm and pointed it at the other party in an attempt to rob them. A shootout ensued in the parking lot, during which Henderson was struck by gunfire before driving away and succumbing to his injuries.
Law enforcement quickly identified and charged two suspects in connection with the homicide. Clarence Brown, of Florissant, was taken into custody shortly after the incident near the scene. Prosecutors charged him with second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, and armed criminal action. Brown told detectives that he had set up the robbery under the guise of the trade.
A second suspect, 18-year-old Tyrell Cook Jr. of St. Louis, was identified through surveillance footage as the individual who fired the fatal shots. Police allege that after Henderson attempted the robbery, Cook drew a weapon and shot Henderson, then exited his vehicle and continued firing across the parking lot, striking multiple unoccupied vehicles. The Glock used by Cook was later tested and determined to have been modified to function as a machine gun. On January 29, 2025, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office issued charges against Cook for second-degree murder, unlawful possession of an illegal weapon, unlawful use of a weapon, and armed criminal action. As of early February 2025, Cook remained at large, and authorities sought public assistance in locating him.
