The family of Justin Brooks — the 14-year-old who was stabbed to death last week just one block from Rose Mary Johnson Jennings Junior High School — is working to raise money for his funeral.
Brooks was stabbed days after a viral video of a brutal fight near another north county school — Hazelwood East — drew outrage and sent shockwaves throughout the region.
Police say Brooks was stabbed on Tuesday, March 12, at 3:05 p.m. on Hord Avenue, RFT previously reported. School resource officers responded and provided first aid to Brooks but he succumbed to his injuries.
The attack occurred within five miles of the location of the viral video near Hazelwood East, showing a teen slamming another teen’s head into the pavement.
This teen, identified as Kaylee on her GoFundMe, has been hospitalized with a skull fracture, frontal lobe damage, major brain bleeding and swelling, and is in critical condition.
A statement put out by the Jennings School District had no additional information about Brooks, other than to say he was a student. St. Louis County Police said in their own statement following the incident that while no suspects are in custody, they are investigating the incident and “this does not appear to be random in nature.”
Brooks has been described as a star athlete who loved football and was a leader on his city recreational league team, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The GoFundMe for Brooks’ family was started by his mother Monica Green and has raised $1,085 as of publication towards a $20,000 goal. Green wrote that she is the single mother of nine children.
“We are in need of help to lay him to rest Justin didn’t have any life insurance. Everything is appreciated,” Green wrote.
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