Brandon E. Scott

Brandon E. Scott, a 10-year-old White male, was a student at Henry Raab School in Belleville, Illinois. His teacher remembered him as "a sweet little boy" with a great sense of humor. His father, Wendel Scott Jr., later struggled to make sense of his son's death, stating, "My son did not deserve this... He was inside of the house playing a video game. This doesn't make any sense."

On the evening of July 3, 2023, Brandon was inside his family's home in the 1800 block of Roosevelt Avenue in unincorporated Belleville. He was playing a video game when, at approximately 9:56 p.m., shots were fired at the residence from outside. A bullet struck Brandon in the chest. Deputies from the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department responded to the scene, and Brandon was rushed to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

The St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department requested the assistance of the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis to investigate the homicide. Investigators quickly determined that the shooting was not a random act. It was learned that the suspects were acquainted with the Scott family and knew the location they were targeting. Master Sgt. Shane Brown of the Belleville Police Department, who led the investigation, stated, "We're confident that this was not just a random act of violence."

Nine days after the shooting, authorities arrested two men: Devin M. Dunbar, 22, of Florissant, Missouri, and Jaylen P. Nicks, 28. Both were charged in connection with Brandon's death. Nicks later pleaded guilty to a charge of armed violence and, in exchange for his plea, was sentenced to 26 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Devin Dunbar's case proceeded to a jury trial. In August 2023, after deliberating for less than two hours, a St. Clair County jury found him guilty of first-degree murder. St. Clair County Circuit Judge John O'Gara subsequently sentenced Dunbar to a total of 60 years in prison. The sentence consisted of a 25-year term for the murder, enhanced with an additional 35 years. The case is closed, with both men convicted and sentenced as of late 2023.