A drug deal that police say was built on bogus narcotics turned into a near-fatal shooting on South Grand Boulevard, leaving a man with a gunshot wound to the face and devastating jaw injuries. The Feb. 18 encounter unfolded in the 1200 block of South Grand and ended at the trauma room of Saint Louis University Hospital. Investigators have identified the alleged gunman as 19-year-old Martise Alan Mitchell Morant, who is now in custody and facing a stack of felony charges.
According to investigators, two people met Morant to buy what they thought were narcotics, only to discover the drugs were fake. When the would-be buyers refused to hand over money for the counterfeit product, the situation escalated. Prosecutors say Morant demanded the cash, tried to take it by force and then fired a single shot that struck one man in the face, causing severe damage to his jaw. The second person escaped and drove the wounded victim to Saint Louis University Hospital, where officers first made contact with the shooting victim in the ER trauma room. Based on information from the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office and court documents cited by FOX2, Morant is charged with attempted first-degree robbery, first-degree assault and three counts of armed criminal action.
Counterfeit pills and risky transactions
Federal officials have repeatedly warned that fake pills and other counterfeit narcotics are circulating widely and can be deadly, especially when deals go down in informal meetups like this one described in court records. The Drug Enforcement Administration has issued public-safety alerts about counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl and methamphetamine, stressing that pills bought outside legitimate pharmacies are illegal and sometimes lethal, according to the DEA.
Arrest, evidence and what’s next
Police say investigators obtained and served search and arrest warrants at Morant’s home, where they recovered a firearm from his bedroom. Prosecutors referenced that weapon in the probable cause statement. Morant was taken into custody and is now facing the charges listed with the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office, which has not yet announced an arraignment date. The case remains active as detectives and prosecutors track down leads and continue interviewing witnesses, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court, per FOX2…