In the early hours of a Sunday morning in St. Louis, a gathering that began as a memorial for one life tragically ended with the loss of another. Stanley Scott, a 32-year-old man, was fatally shot on October 26, 2025. The incident occurred around 12:30 a.m. in the 2800 block of Gasconade Street in the Dutchtown neighborhood. Friends and family had come together for a balloon release and vigil to honor someone who had recently passed away.
It was in the street outside the home where the vigil was taking place that Scott was shot multiple times.
Responding to a shooting call, which was confirmed by the ShotSpotter gunshot-detection system, St. Louis police officers arrived to a grim scene. They found Scott inside the residence, where witnesses were desperately trying to render aid. Officers immediately began administering life-saving care until emergency medical services arrived. Scott was rushed to a nearby hospital, but tragically, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. Scott, a resident of north St. Louis County, was a father to five children: three sons and two daughters. He was remembered by family as a happy person and a good friend.
In the days following the shooting, a suspect turned himself in to the authorities. Donald Gregory Jones, 51, surrendered to police on the Monday after the incident and confessed to the shooting, as well as to disposing of the firearm used. Several witnesses from the vigil identified Jones as the gunman, with two of them picking him out of a photo lineup. Subsequently, prosecutors charged Jones with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. A judge ordered that he be held in jail without bond. While an arrest has been made, authorities have not yet released a possible motive for the killing.
