On a Tuesday evening in May, the life of 35-year-old Shalonda Miller was tragically cut short in a parking lot in Fenton, Missouri. A licensed practical nurse, Miller was a student at the St. Louis College of Health Careers, diligently working towards becoming a registered nurse. She was a mother to two teenage boys and was described by her own mother as 'the best daughter in the world,' a sweet and humble woman who wanted to spend her life helping others.
The events of May 17, 2022,
unfolded around 5:25 PM when St. Louis County police responded to a call of shots fired in the 1200 block of North Highway Drive. Upon arrival, they discovered Shalonda Miller in the parking lot of the college, suffering from gunshot wounds; she was pronounced dead at the scene. As officers arrived, they were fired upon by a man in a white Chevrolet Impala.
The gunman was identified as 36-year-old Tyrone Barnes. He and Miller had been in an on-and-off relationship for about three years, which she had recently decided to end. It is reported that Barnes did not want the relationship to be over. At one point during their tumultuous relationship, Miller had filed for a restraining order against him.
After shooting Miller, Barnes fled the scene in his vehicle, leading police on a pursuit that lasted approximately 10 minutes. The chase ended at Big Bend Road and Old Big Bend Road, where Barnes took his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The St. Louis County Police Department later confirmed the incident was the result of a domestic altercation. During the pursuit, one police officer sustained a minor injury from glass breaking when Barnes fired at them.
