ST. LOUIS — A 9-year-old boy was shot to death while sitting in the back of his mother's car in what a police source told 5 On Your Side could be a case of mistaken identity.
The shooting happened at around 10 p.m. Sunday in the area of Ninth Street and Lasalle Park Court, south of downtown St. Louis.
According to a police source, the child was sitting in the back seat of his mother’s car when two people began shooting at the car, hitting the boy in the chest. The boy’s mother and a friend took him to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
He was identified Monday morning as Caion Greene.
A 7-month-old boy also was in the vehicle, along with a 31-year-old man and the 34-year-old mother. No one else was injured.
Police are trying to determine if the killing was a case of mistaken identity, according to the source.
This is the seventh child to be shot and killed in the City of St. Louis in 2021 and the first homicide in the LaSalle Park neighborhood this year.
No other information about the shooting has been released.
During her scheduled COVID-19 briefing Monday afternoon, Mayor Lyda Krewson called the shooting "heartwrenching" and pleaded for anyone with information to come forward.
"My heart goes out to Caion’s family. Just a very sad situation," Krewson said.
Anyone with information is urged to call the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Division directly at 314-444-5371, or anyone with a tip who wants to remain anonymous and is interested in a reward can contact CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS(8477).
5 On Your Side will update this story when more details are confirmed.
CUT SHORT IN ST. LOUIS
"CUT SHORT: Unsolved Killings of St. Louis Children" is an initiative of KSDK 5 On Your Side and its community outreach program, "Project 5," to raise awareness of the unchecked violence against children in the City of St. Louis from the summer of 2019 to present.
We're dedicated to telling their stories, following the criminal investigations and shining a light on the reasons for gun violence in our city. We won't let up.
Please join us in this important campaign seeking justice for our youth by sharing these stories about their young lives cut short, reaching out to elected officials and supporting the worthy organizations in St. Louis working to make our city's neighborhoods safer places to raise families.