In the midst of the vibrant Cinco de Mayo celebrations on Cherokee Street in St. Louis, a burst of gunfire shattered the festive atmosphere, leaving two men dead and two others wounded. One of the men who lost his life on that Friday evening, May 5, 2023, was 25-year-old Rayon Caffey. A Black male, Caffey was at the Exotic Bar and Grill at approximately 10 p.m. when the shooting occurred.
Emergency services were called to the chaotic scene.
Upon arrival, they discovered a 34-year-old man inside the bar with gunshot wounds to his thigh and elbow; he was transported to a local hospital in serious but stable condition. By the time officers arrived, Caffey and another victim, 44-year-old Eric Taylor, had already been taken to the hospital by private vehicle. Tragically, both men were pronounced dead upon their arrival. A fourth victim, a 24-year-old woman, later reported that she had been grazed by a bullet on her foot during the incident.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Division is actively investigating the double homicide that cut short the lives of Rayon Caffey and Eric Taylor. Despite the ongoing investigation and public appeals for information, no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting. Authorities have not publicly identified any suspects or a motive for the deadly assault. The case remains open as the community grapples with the violence that marred a popular cultural celebration.
