A three-year-old boy named Xavier Zae Robinson was killed by a single gunshot to the chest on the morning of December 21, 2015, at his family’s home on Emerald Creek Drive in north St. Louis County. He was taken to a hospital and died of his wounds. The shot was fired from a handgun by a fifteen-year-old friend of Xavier’s older brother.

Authorities say the night before the shooting the older brother and his friend had been playing with the handgun and that parents Shawmane Robinson and Semaj Porter were aware of this but did not remove the weapon or make sure it was unloaded. The fifteen-year-old turned himself in to the Florissant Police Department the afternoon of the shooting and was charged with manslaughter; the case was handled in adult court and he was placed under house arrest. Xavier’s parents were charged with felony child endangerment; Shawmane Robinson received ten months in jail and Semaj Porter was given five years of probation.

If anyone knew Xavier, his family, or has information about what happened, please share what you know.