An arrest has been made in connection with the shooting death of a 16-year-old boy earlier this month in Walnut Park East, St. Louis. The victim, identified as Elijah Hughes, was fatally shot multiple times on July 11, and an 18-year-old male is now facing charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action, as per the Circuit Attorney’s Office. The update comes following a preliminary investigation by local authorities.
Officers from District 6 were called to the scene at Lillian and Beacon just before 10:30AM after reports of gunfire were received. They found Hughes, who had managed to run to that location after being shot near Lillian and Genevieve while he was riding his bike. Despite being rapidly transported to the hospital by EMS, he subsequently succumbed to his injuries. The community has been left to grapple with this senseless act of violence that has, once again, shaken the very fabric of their neighborhood.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Unit has taken over the investigation, which remains ongoing. The details leading up to the incident are still being pieced together, and the police have not yet publicly discussed a possible motive behind the crime or the circumstances that led to the arrest of the suspect…