ST. LOUIS — Colin Brown, a 16-year-old high school hockey player, from the O'Fallon area, died Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 27, 2024, from injuries sustained in a highway shooting over the weekend in St. Louis, police confirmed. Brown was struck by stray gunfire on Saturday night while traveling home from a hockey game on northbound Interstate 55 near Loughborough.
St. Louis Police believe the gunfire originated from the opposite direction of traffic. As of Wednesday afternoon, no arrests have been made in connection with the incident. St. Louis police spokesman Mitch McCoy reiterated the department's call for assistance in solving the case, urging anyone with video or other evidence to contact homicide detectives at 314-444-5371 or to provide anonymous tips to CrimeStoppers at 866-371-8477.
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At the time of the shooting, Brown was in the vehicle with his father, Calvin Brown, a retired lieutenant colonel with the Illinois State Police.
St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones issued this statement on Wednesday afternoon about Brown's tragic death: “The death of Colin Brown is devastating news for our whole community. We were all praying for a miracle and are now overwhelmed with grief, sadness, and anger that this innocent teenager’s life has been taken. As the mother of a teenage son, I grieve with all who knew and loved this young man.
“We will never have true justice for the loss of Colin’s life. But I know that the great officers of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department will continue to do all they can to find who is responsible for this senseless and reckless act of violence and hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Everyone who knew and loved Colin is in my prayers.”
The investigation is ongoing, and police have actively sought additional evidence, going door-to-door in the area since the incident.
McCoy emphasized the importance of community involvement, stating, "We cannot solve crime alone, but we do know that there are witnesses to what happened, and we need their eyewitness accounts to help us piece together what happened. No amount of information is too small."
In the wake of the tragedy, the St. Louis hockey community has shown significant support for Brown and his family.
