ST. LOUIS — A 9-year-old girl has died and her mother is not expected to survive following a shooting inside a home that was later set on fire in the Walnut Park West neighborhood, police confirmed.
According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, officers responded to reports of a house fire around 12:10 a.m. Sunday at a residence in the 5700 block of Floy Avenue. Firefighters quickly extinguished the flames and discovered two victims inside the home suffering from gunshot wounds. Both were rushed to the hospital.
Authorities initially identified the victims as a woman and a young boy. Later updates confirmed they were a 45-year-old woman and her 9-year-old daughter, Paige Buckner. Police said both were in critical, unstable condition and “fighting for their lives.” On Monday morning, the department confirmed that Paige had died from her injuries. Family members said the woman, Paige’s mother, was shot in the head and is not expected to survive.
St. Louis Police Director of Public Affairs Mitch McCoy said in a press conference that the mother and daughter were shot on Saturday, and the home was then intentionally set on fire. Homicide detectives, alongside the department’s Bomb and Arson Unit, are leading the investigation to determine how the shooting and fire are connected.
“We ask that St. Louisans come together and pray for them right now. They are hanging on,” McCoy said.
Neighbors expressed shock at the tragedy. Reginald Hunt, who lives nearby, told reporters he called 911 after seeing flames coming from the home just before midnight. “I was shocked,” Hunt said. “I see her every day. I see the little one every day. Why would you shoot a woman and a kid? That’s just something I do not understand.”
The family had only moved to the neighborhood a few months ago but were familiar faces on the block. Authorities continue to investigate the incident.