Mack A. Wagner, a 62-year-old Black male, was a cherished employee at Kaiser's Grand Mart in the Dutchtown neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri. On the afternoon of July 29, 2024, his life was tragically cut short in a violent confrontation inside the store where he had worked for several years. The incident began when Wagner, a man known for his friendly demeanor, confronted a customer who was allegedly attempting to shoplift.
The situation quickly escalated into a heated argument.
In an attempt to de-escalate the confrontation, Wagner used pepper spray on the customer. The man, later identified as 45-year-old John Phillips, responded by drawing a firearm and shooting Wagner in the lower abdomen. Phillips then fled the scene with a female companion, leaving Wagner unconscious and critically injured on the floor of the convenience store. He was rushed to a local hospital but succumbed to his injuries shortly before 4 p.m.
In the wake of the shooting, the community mourned the loss of a man described as a beloved, all-around good guy. A memorial was set up outside Kaiser's Grand Mart, which temporarily closed to honor his memory. Friends, family, and regular customers gathered to pay their respects to a man who was a fixture in their daily lives.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department launched an investigation, and on November 22, 2024, the St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office issued at-large warrants for John Phillips. He was charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, first-degree robbery, and unlawful possession of a firearm. Though not immediately apprehended, Phillips was taken into custody on a later date.
