In the Central West End neighborhood of St. Louis, a domestic dispute on the evening of February 2, 2026, ended in the tragic death of 67-year-old Mary Jackson. Responding to a call around 8 p.m. about a man threatening a woman with a gun in the 5700 block of Waterman Boulevard, police arrived to a heated argument on a porch. The individuals involved were later identified as Mary Jackson and her 68-year-old domestic partner, Gishio Stevens, who both lived at the residence.
As an officer
approached the home to investigate the escalating situation, the argument took a horrifying turn. In a shocking moment, Stevens allegedly produced a firearm and shot Jackson in front of the police. The officer immediately drew his weapon and returned fire at the suspect. Stevens is reported to have fired back, leading to an exchange of gunfire. During the confrontation, the suspect was struck by the officer's shots. No officers were injured in the incident, and a weapon believed to have been used by the suspect was recovered at the scene.
Emergency services rushed Mary Jackson to a nearby hospital, but she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead. Gishio Stevens was also transported to a hospital in critical and unstable condition. Following the incident, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's Force Investigation Unit has taken over the investigation, a standard procedure for officer-involved shootings. Prosecutors have since charged Stevens with first-degree murder and four other felonies. Family members described Mary Jackson as a mother, sister, and aunt, and her niece stated that her aunt had called 911 for help just before the fatal shooting occurred on her front porch.
