Clarence Jefferson

Clarence Jefferson, a 39-year-old Black man, is remembered for an act of selfless heroism in the final moments of his life. His death followed a shooting in the Walnut Park West neighborhood of Saint Louis, Missouri.

On the afternoon of Friday, May 27, 2022, Jefferson was standing on the back porch of a home with three other people. They were in the 5900 block of Lucille Avenue when several suspects began firing shots at the group from Emma Avenue and Park Lane. According to detectives, Jefferson pushed the other three people inside the home to safety.

After getting the others out of the line of fire, Jefferson collapsed on the back porch. Paramedics arrived and rushed him to a hospital for his injuries. He died three days later, on Memorial Day, May 30, 2022.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department began a homicide investigation. While authorities reported that several suspects were involved in the shooting, no arrests have been announced. As of May 2022, the case remains unsolved. Anyone with information is urged to call the Homicide Division directly at 314-444-5371 or CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477).