In the summer of 2022, a young Black man named Dimari Chapple, age 17, was tragically killed in a seemingly unprovoked attack. On the afternoon of August 1st, Chapple was seated inside the bustling St. Louis Gateway Transportation Center, a hub for bus and train travel. Without any apparent interaction, a man wearing a full ski mask approached him and fired a single, fatal shot to his head. The brazen act, which occurred around 3:20 p.m.
near South 15th and Spruce streets, sent shockwaves through the crowded station as witnesses scrambled for safety.
The suspect, later identified as 21-year-old Montrel Alexander, was apprehended by police shortly after the shooting on a MetroLink platform. Surveillance footage from the transportation center played a crucial role in his swift identification and arrest. The video showed Alexander loitering in the station before walking directly up to Chapple and opening fire. An anonymous witness later recounted hearing the gunman say, 'What's up now?' before pulling out a revolver and shooting the teenager.
Following his arrest, Montrel Alexander was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. During legal proceedings, it was revealed that Alexander had a history of mental health issues, including depression for which he was taking medication. His mother testified in court, stating that her son was not a violent person and had been trying to leave the city to escape crime. Despite this, the court ordered him to be held without bond due to the gravity of the charges and the seemingly random nature of the attack.
In a recorded interview, Alexander admitted to the shooting, acknowledging that he was aware of his actions and that they were wrong. However, the question of his mental state at the time of the incident became a central issue in the case. Ultimately, after examinations by psychologists, it was determined that while Alexander was fit to stand trial, he was incapable of understanding the wrongfulness of his conduct due to mental illness.
In a turn of events that precluded a trial, Alexander entered a plea of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. This was accepted by the prosecution, and in December 2025, a St. Louis Circuit Judge committed him to the Department of Mental Health. At the hearing, a letter from Dimari Chapple's mother was read aloud. In it, she expressed her grief, stating that her son was taken for 'nothing at all,' but that she forgave Alexander and hoped he would receive the help he needed. Montrel Alexander will remain in a state mental hospital until a court orders his release.
