Shree Hemphill, a 34-year-old African American woman, was a resident of St. Louis, Missouri, whose life was tragically cut short on June 19, 2022. That Sunday evening, she had just dropped her mother off at home and borrowed her car to run an errand. Around 9:30 p.m., she stopped at a gas station near the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and North Kingshighway Boulevard to fuel up the vehicle.
While she stood at the pump, a chaotic series of events unfolded across the street which had nothing to do with her, yet ultimately claimed her life.
Moments earlier, a fight had broken out between two groups of young women in the parking lot of a nearby Hollywood Beauty supply store. The altercation followed a party at the Wohl Recreation Center. During the dispute, a 12-year-old girl involved in the conflict called a relative for assistance. In response, a Pontiac arrived at the scene with 24-year-old Cameron D. Delap in the passenger seat. Instead of intervening to de-escalate the situation, Delap exited the vehicle armed with a gun. As a Ford Escape attempted to drive away from the fight, Delap fired multiple shots at the moving vehicle.
Several of the bullets missed their intended target and traveled across the street to the gas station where Shree was standing with her brother and friends. She was struck in the chest by the stray gunfire and collapsed to the ground. Emergency responders arrived, but she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead, leaving behind two young children. A St. Louis Metropolitan Police officer, who was nearby and witnessed the shooting, engaged the suspect, firing shots at the Pontiac as Delap attempted to get back inside. The vehicle fled the scene, but the incident was captured on surveillance cameras from surrounding buildings.
Investigators were able to identify Cameron Delap as the shooter through the footage and a lineup. He was subsequently arrested and charged in connection with Shree's death. In October 2024, Delap pleaded guilty to charges of voluntary manslaughter, shooting at a motor vehicle, and two counts of armed criminal action. He was sentenced to a total of 18 years in prison. Prosecutors noted that the tragedy was the result of a senseless escalation where a firearm was introduced into a fistfight, killing an innocent bystander who was simply going about her evening.
