Victor Fooks, a 52-year-old male, lost his life on the night of November 25, 2023, in Hazelwood, Missouri, while attempting to maintain order at the establishment he managed. Fooks served as the general manager of the InTown Suites Extended Stay Hotel located on Dunn Road, where he was known by residents as a 'peacekeeper' who looked out for the community.
On that Saturday evening, he was responding to a disturbance involving individuals who had been asked to leave the premises.
According to detailed reports from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the incident escalated when Fooks and an associate escorted two young men, identified as 20-year-old Jaylin McElroy and 18-year-old Marshaun Brinkley, to the parking lot to ensure they departed after being evicted due to an earlier argument. Tensions rose rapidly as the two men, along with a 16-year-old juvenile associate, produced firearms. The confrontation erupted in gunfire, during which all three suspects allegedly opened fire. Some accounts indicate that Fooks returned fire during the exchange, while other initial reports suggested he may have been unarmed.
Fooks sustained gunshot wounds to his knees and hands during the barrage. Despite his injuries, he managed to crawl back into the hotel hallway, where responding officers found him unresponsive. He was transported to a local hospital but succumbed to his injuries. McElroy was also struck in the chest during the chaos and was hospitalized. Authorities subsequently arrested McElroy, Brinkley, and the juvenile. Both adult suspects were charged with second-degree murder, first-degree assault, and armed criminal action, with high cash-only bonds set for their release. The 16-year-old faced similar charges in juvenile court. Residents of the hotel later expressed deep sorrow, describing Fooks as a 'gentle giant' and a beloved figure who often helped those in need.
