On February 13, 2022, 19-year-old Kevin Payne Jr. was killed in St. Louis’s North Riverfront neighborhood after an outing to film a music video ended in gunfire. That evening Payne was in a vehicle with 34-year-old Florentino Pegues, a 16-year-old boy, and 24-year-old Eric Wooten near North Broadway and East Taylor Avenue. Just before 10 p.m., Wooten allegedly produced a 9mm handgun and opened fire on the other occupants.

Payne was found lying in the street with two gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. Pegues and the 16-year-old were taken to a hospital; Pegues later died of his injuries on August 7, 2022, while the teenager survived two gunshot wounds to the back. Officers from the Mobile Reserve unit pursued and apprehended a man identified as Wooten after spotting him running from the scene; he reportedly admitted shooting all three and said he discarded the gun in a bush.

Wooten was charged in connection with the shooting. Anyone who knew Kevin Payne Jr. or has information about what happened that night is asked to come forward.