FERGUSON, MO. — Two 17-year-old suspects are facing adult criminal charges in connection with the Jan. 30, 2026, shooting death of ride-share driver Shannon O’Brien, an Edwardsville High School graduate, in Ferguson, Mo. after investigators said rival groups met for a planned shootout in the 1700 block of Windward Court.
The St. Louis County Family Court certified Lamarkus Van, 17, of the 2500 block of Haber Drive in St. Louis, as an adult Monday, Aug. 10, 2026. The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Van the same day with second-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action and first-degree assault or attempt.
Van was originally taken into custody March 5, 2026, and held at the St. Louis County Family Court. He is being held on a $1.5 million, cash-only, no 10% bond.
The Family Court previously certified Cortez Alexander, 17, of the 10000 block of Winkler Drive in St. Louis, as an adult July 22, 2026. Prosecutors charged Alexander that day with second-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action and first-degree assault or attempt.
Alexander was originally taken into custody Feb. 1 and held at the St. Louis County Family Court. He is being held on a $1 million, cash-only, no 10% bond.
O’Brien’s family described her as a loving person who put forth effort to continually improve herself and help those around her.
“Shannon was so giving, and was wonderful to be around. It’s so difficult to really put into words how important she was to her family and others,” the family said in her obituary.
The family said that in the last few years, O’Brien drove displaced students to school and loved the students she got to know until the fateful night in January 2026.
According to a probable cause statement for Van, investigators found that a co-defendant identified as N.J. and others had an ongoing conflict with a rival group described as the VonniGang. The statement said a consent search of a co-suspect’s phone showed two people agreed to meet N.J. and resolve the conflict with a shootout.
When both sides arrived, gunfire erupted and O’Brien was killed, according to the statement. Investigators said in the statement that Van later indicated he was aware of the conversation and took part in the shootout.
According to a probable cause statement for Alexander, investigators found that Alexander and two juveniles had a conflict with N.J. The statement said Alexander and K.C. agreed to meet N.J. to resolve the conflict with a shootout. It also said Alexander coordinated transportation for himself and K.C. using Lyft to the location where N.J. could be found.
The statement said Alexander, K.C. and another juvenile arrived at 1750 Winward Court in a Hyundai Elantra driven by O’Brien and parked behind a Malibu containing N.J. and others. Gunfire erupted between the groups, and O’Brien was struck once in the back and died from her injuries, according to the statement.
The statement said Alexander, K.C. and the other juvenile fled on foot, and the other juvenile later coordinated another Lyft ride for the group.
O’Brien, 28, of the 4300 block of De Tonty Street in St. Louis, was identified by police Feb. 2, 2026.
The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office previously charged Noah Johnson, 18, of the 5800 block of Nashville Avenue in St. Louis, on March 17 with first-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action and aiding or abetting a person discharging or shooting a firearm at or from a motor vehicle causing physical injury or death. Johnson is being held on a $750,000, cash-only, no 10% bond.
A previously released probable cause statement said officers responding to a shooting in progress found O’Brien suffering from a gunshot wound inside the driver’s seat of a blue Hyundai Elantra. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The statement said O’Brien was a Lyft driver who had arrived to drop off three people and that the passengers were the intended targets because of an ongoing feud.
On July 1, police said another 17-year-old male suspect was arrested and remanded to the custody of the St. Louis County Family Court for second-degree murder, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon.
St. Louis County Police Department Bureau of Crimes Against Persons detectives are handling the investigation.
Charges are accusations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
