In the summer of 2020, a shootout in the Walnut Park West neighborhood of St. Louis left three young men dead. On the afternoon of July 29, near West Florissant Avenue and Goodfellow Boulevard, gunfire between two rival groups wounded five people. Malik Taylor, 22, and two 18-year-olds, Elijah McKinney and Daijon Nearing, were pronounced dead at the scene; a 17-year-old boy and a 37-year-old man were wounded and survived.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s homicide division investigated, and in November 2020 they arrested 17-year-old Joshua Amerson on charges that included first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, assault, and unlawful use of a weapon, alleging he was responsible for the three deaths. Prosecutors later dismissed those murder charges in July 2022 because witnesses would not cooperate; the dismissals were nolle prosequi. The case remained unresolved after the charges were dropped.

If anyone in Walnut Park West that day saw the shooting or has information about the people involved, please come forward.