Crime
23-Year-Old Imani Easley Charged in Double Shooting After Fight Intervention at Koeneman Park
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – A 23-year-old woman from University City has been formally charged in connection with a double shooting that occurred Saturday evening in Jennings, Missouri.
Authorities say the suspect opened fire on two women who were attempting to break up a physical altercation at Koeneman Park.
According to St. Louis County Police and spokesperson Mary Schmitt, officers responded to a shooting at approximately 6:05 p.m. on May 30 in the 2600 block of Shannon Avenue, near the park’s vicinity.
Investigators determined that the victims had intervened in a fight between two other individuals when the suspect, identified as Imani R. Easley, allegedly retrieved a Glock pistol and fired multiple rounds.
One woman was struck in the right arm, and the second was shot in the chest.
Both victims were transported to a local hospital for emergency treatment. The woman who sustained a chest wound remains in critical condition, authorities said.
The incident, which reportedly unfolded in front of numerous parkgoers, was captured on video and livestreamed on Facebook.
The footage played a key role in the swift identification and arrest of the suspect.
After her arrest, Easley reportedly admitted to shooting both victims, according to a probable cause statement filed by investigators.
The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged Easley with the following:
- Two counts of first-degree assault
- Two counts of armed criminal action
- One count of unlawful use of a weapon
Easley is currently being held in custody on a $500,000 cash-only bond. A bond reduction hearing is scheduled for June 9, and a preliminary hearing is set for July 2.
Law enforcement officials have not released additional information about the motive behind the initial fight or whether the victims knew the suspect.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with further information or additional video footage is encouraged to contact the St. Louis County Police Department.
CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — The search for 6-month-old Nnakai Pratt, who was reported missing three days ago, ended tragically on Tuesday evening when authorities discovered the infant’s body near an apartment complex in Clayton County.
The grim discovery came 84 hours after the baby’s father, Antonio Pearce, claimed his son had been abducted during an alleged armed robbery.
Clayton County police confirmed that Nnakai’s twin sibling remains safe and in the care of their mother, who investigators say is not believed to be involved in the case.
Investigators returned to the Valley Hill Road apartment complex shortly before 4 p.m. Tuesday to conduct another extensive search, after spending much of the day reviewing evidence and retracing previous search efforts.
By 6:30 p.m., officers established a perimeter with crime scene tape near a dumpster and the wooded area adjacent to the complex.
A few hours later, around 7 p.m., police confirmed the heartbreaking discovery of baby Nnakai’s body.
Authorities have not yet disclosed how or where the infant was found, citing the ongoing investigation.
Clayton County Police confirmed Monday that Antonio Pearce, the child’s father, is now the primary suspect in his son’s disappearance and death.
Pearce was arrested earlier this week on unrelated charges, including possession of marijuana and multiple traffic violations.
Pearce initially told officers that he and his infant son were the victims of an armed robbery at the apartment complex around 8 a.m. Sunday.
According to his account, assailants robbed him at gunpoint, stealing his belongings and allegedly taking the baby from a car seat before fleeing the scene.
However, police said inconsistencies in Pearce’s statements, combined with evidence suggesting possible foul play, led investigators to doubt his version of events.
Detectives subsequently shifted the focus of the investigation from a kidnapping case to a potential criminal homicide.
Court records show that Pearce has a prior criminal history, including charges of simple battery and cruelty to children filed in 2022. Authorities have not confirmed whether those charges involved his own children.
For two days, search teams — including K-9 units and cadaver dogs — scoured wooded areas, dumpsters, and drainage systems near Valley Hill Road but initially found no sign of the missing child.
Clayton County Police have not yet announced whether additional charges will be filed against Pearce in connection with Nnakai’s death.
He remains in custody and is expected to make his first court appearance on Wednesday.
“This is a devastating loss for everyone involved,” a police spokesperson said Tuesday evening. “Our detectives have worked tirelessly on this case from the moment the call came in, and our thoughts are with Nnakai’s family during this unimaginable time.”
The Clayton County Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct an autopsy to determine the baby’s official cause and manner of death.