Teenage Victim Identified In Fountain Park Shooting

ST. LOUIS, MO — Oscar Johnson III, 14, was shot in the chest Wednesday afternoon, police said, and died at a hospital a short time later. The shooting occurred around 5 p.m. at a home in the 1200 block of North Euclid Avenue, north of Fountain Park.

Police said a 13-year-old suspect was arrested Thursday morning in connection with the shooting.

The Post-Dispatch reports police took photos of a LimeBike lying on the sidewalk near the home. It's not clear why.

According to the Post-Dispatch, a neighbor called the boy "a beautiful young man" who was never disrespectful and would routinely help her carry in groceries and move furniture.

"He always went to school and played basketball," Linda Watson told the paper. "You need to let people know, he was not a thug."

More than 30,000 Americans are killed by guns every year and twice that number are injured, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 13,000 are murdered. The rest take their own lives or are victims of shooting accidents. Almost half are children or young adults.

Last year St. Louis cracked its 25-year murder record. Per capita, the city ranks third for homicides in the United States and first for non-fatal shootings, according to data from the FBI and Major Cities Chiefs Association.

Anyone with information about the shooting should contact St. Louis Regional CrimeStoppers toll free at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477). All callers can remain anonymous. Tips can also be submitted through the CrimeStoppers website or free app.

Read more from the Post-Dispatch.

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