On the evening of Tuesday, December 23, 2025, police in Cahokia Heights, Illinois, launched a homicide investigation following the fatal shooting of 17-year-old male Fontez Forest. The teenager, a resident of East St. Louis, was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in the driveway of a residence on the 100 block of St. James Lane. Officers had responded to reports of shots fired in the area around 7 p.m. and discovered the victim at the scene.
Despite the arrival of emergency personnel, Forest was pronounced dead at 9:58 p.m. by the St. Clair County Coroner.
Prior to the shooting, Forest had reportedly left his family’s home in the 3300 block of Converse Avenue in East St. Louis. His grandmother stated that he took a rideshare service to meet with friends earlier that evening. After visiting one friend's house, he allegedly entered a vehicle with other acquaintances from Belleville. His family indicated that his whereabouts between that moment and the time of the shooting were unknown until they received a call informing them of the tragedy. Forest was a student at East St. Louis High School, where he played football and basketball, and was just months away from his expected graduation in May.
As of the days immediately following the incident, authorities had not announced any arrests or named specific suspects in connection with the killing. Chief Thomas L. Trice of the Cahokia Heights Police Department confirmed that the agency’s Criminal Investigation Division was handling the case but declined to comment on whether any persons of interest were in custody. The death marked the ninth homicide in the municipality for the year, leaving the victim's family pleading for answers and justice just two days before Christmas.
