Elijah McKinney

The life of Elijah McKinney, an 18-year-old Black man, was cut short during a violent outburst in the Walnut Park West neighborhood of St. Louis in the summer of 2020. On the afternoon of July 29th, residents near the intersection of Floy Avenue and West Florissant Avenue heard what they described as "nonstop" gunfire. When the shooting stopped, police found five people with gunshot wounds. Elijah McKinney, along with 22-year-old Malik Taylor and 18-year-old Daijon Nearing, were pronounced dead at the scene. Two other victims, a 17-year-old boy and a 37-year-old man, were wounded but survived.

Investigators with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Division determined that the deadly shooting stemmed from a violent dispute between two rival groups. A firearm was recovered from the scene as part of the investigation. The incident sent shockwaves through the community, amplifying residents' fears about a recent increase in gun violence in the area. In response to the tragedy and the public outcry, the Urban League announced an anti-crime initiative aimed at improving safety in the neighborhood.

A break in the case came when authorities arrested a 17-year-old named Joshua Amerson in connection with the triple homicide. He was charged with a litany of serious offenses, including first-degree murder, second-degree murder, first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon, and armed criminal action.

However, the path to justice proved to be complex and frustrating. In July 2022, prosecutors dismissed all charges against Amerson, a legal maneuver known as a nolle prosequi, which was reportedly due to a lack of witness cooperation but allowed for the possibility of refiling charges later. While Amerson was subsequently arrested on unrelated drug trafficking charges, prosecutors did refile the triple murder charges against him. The case again faltered, and in June 2023, a St. Louis judge dismissed the charges for a second time, once again citing witness-related issues.

As of that latest development in June 2023, the charges against the only publicly identified suspect have been dismissed twice. The case of who killed Elijah McKinney, Malik Taylor, and Daijon Nearing remains unsolved, and their families are still waiting for answers.