On a Tuesday evening in south St. Louis, the life of 15-year-old Emily Valentine was tragically cut short. She was discovered on a parking pad in an alley in the city's Gravois Park neighborhood just before 8 p.m. on February 28, 2023, having been shot in the face. Rushed to a hospital, the young female was pronounced dead. Those nearby heard a series of five to six gunshots, followed by the sight of a young girl who had been with Valentine running for help.
The events leading to the
fatal shooting began earlier when Emily's 15-year-old former boyfriend picked her and her 14-year-old sister up from their aunt's home. According to Emily's sister, who was unharmed, he drove them to the 3700 block of Minnesota Avenue. It was there that he shot Emily in the face and then fled in a stolen car, leaving her in the alley. The young victim died on the way to the hospital.
In the wake of the shooting, St. Louis police announced they had a person of interest they were working to bring into custody. Subsequently, a 15-year-old boy was charged with second-degree murder in connection with Emily's death. Investigators reported that the suspect was already in custody in St. Louis County on unrelated charges when he was charged. For Emily's grandmother, Rosie Valentine, the grief was compounded by a past tragedy; Emily's father had also been shot and killed in an alley years earlier. She remembered her granddaughter as a smart and intelligent girl who earned good grades but had unfortunately connected with the wrong people. The family, while preparing for her funeral, expressed their belief that the charge should have been first-degree murder.
