Homicide No. 30: Boy, 11, Shot in Head, Killed When Gunman Attacks South St. Louis Family

Mar 27, 2014 at 8:50 am

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Lindsay Toler

The home in the 3600 block of Tholozan where an 11-year-old boy was shot to death.

Update 10:40 a.m. - This story has been updated with more details about the victim from police.

A gunman unloading round after round through the window of a south St. Louis family's home Wednesday night, striking Antonio Johnson, an eleven-year-old boy, in the head and killing him.

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Chief Sam Dotson says the eleven-year-old was likely not the intended victim in this brazen gun attack.

"We do not believe [Antonio Johnson] was a target in this," Dotson tells KMOV. "One of the teenage boys in the house had been previously shot, and we do believe he has some information that can be helpful in this investigation."

Police originally identified Antonio as a seven-year-old based on information from the family, but a report released Thursday morning says the child is actually eleven-years-old.

Note: The victim from Tholozan homicide was originally stated as 7-years old by the victim's family. We have since learned the child is 11.
— St. Louis, MO Police (@SLMPD) March 27, 2014

Antonio was working on a computer in the 3600 block of Tholozan Avenue, just south of where Gravois Avenue meets Grand Boulevard, in a home with a four-year-old, two teens (including the one who was previously shot) and three adults, according to KSDK NewsChannel 5.

The gunman, who is still on the run from police, stood on a ledge on the home, broke a window around 9 p.m. Wednesday night and started shooting, firing between eight and ten rounds, according to KMOV.

The needless, violent death of a bystanding child unleashed an outpouring of concern and sadness in the Tower Grove neighborhood and around St. Louis.

Prayers go out to the family of the 7 year old that lost that lost his life on the south side from a shooting last night. Heart is heavy...
— DJSirThurl (@DJSirThurl) March 27, 2014