On July 4, 2023, a violent incident occurred in Jennings, Missouri, claiming the life of a 35-year-old male named Peter Cooper. Cooper, a resident of the 2000 block of Monks Hollow Drive in unincorporated north St. Louis County, was walking with a female companion toward a neighborhood Independence Day barbecue on Jendale Court. As they approached the gathering, a resident of the street exited his home in an agitated state and began firing a handgun at them. Cooper was struck multiple times by the gunfire and ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
The suspect, identified as 46-year-old Antonio N. Speed lived on the first block of Jendale Court where the shooting took place. Authorities reported that Speed appeared to be disturbed by the social activity in the neighborhood. After shooting Cooper, Speed reportedly retreated into his home but returned to his front porch moments later, waving the weapon and threatening other residents.
When neighbors attempted to aid the mortally wounded Cooper in the street, Speed opened fire again, wounding a woman in the arm. The situation escalated further when Speed retrieved an SKS-style rifle from his residence, prompting a witness to return fire in self-defense.
Following the shooting, Speed barricaded himself inside his home, leading to a standoff with St. Louis County police that lasted for several hours. During the standoff, the suspect live-streamed on Facebook, where he identified himself and apologized for shooting the woman. He surrendered to law enforcement at approximately 10:45 p.m. that evening. Prosecutors subsequently charged Speed with second-degree murder, first-degree assault, two counts of armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, and receiving stolen property. He was held on a $2 million cash-only bond.
