On the afternoon of January 17, 2016, 14-year-old Jamayha Luss was shot while visiting a friend’s home in the 5300 block of Patton Avenue in North St. Louis. Jamayha, an eighth-grade student at Gateway Middle School who hoped to become a professional dancer, was struck in the back. Emergency responders transported her to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Homicide detectives were called to the scene just before 1:30 p.m. and initially focused on two teenage boys who had been visiting the house.

A 14-year-old boy later turned himself in and was taken into custody by juvenile authorities; he was charged with second-degree murder. Motive and the precise interaction that led to the shooting remained part of the ongoing juvenile investigation. If anyone knew Jamayha or witnessed events at the Patton Avenue home that afternoon, any information could be important.