ST. LOUIS, Mo. – A man is facing federal charges unrelated to the murder of a 7-year-old boy in the Hyde Park neighborhood Monday.
Malik Ross, 23, is accused of stealing $50,000 from an armored car company.
Court documents say that Ross admitted to firing the shot that killed Xavier Usanga. Prosecutors say Ross should be held in jail because he fired the shot that killed a child.
Usanga was shot and killed in a double shooting. An 18-year-old man was critically injured as well. The shooting took place outside Xavier’s home in the Hyde Park neighborhood.
At present, Ross has not been charged in Usanga’s death but city prosecutors say they will continue to review the case and the evidence gathered by police.
Ross allegedly stole $50,000 from an armored car company where he worked and then disappeared. When he turned on his cellphone Wednesday, police were able to locate him at a home in the 4400 block of East Prairie near West Florissant.
Clarence Richard, who was rehabbing a house down the street, saw the suspect from time to time and is shocked he could be involved with killing a child.
“That’s very surprising to me,” said Clarence Richard. “I just can’t believe he did this. Really, he’s just a quiet guy.”
“We need to shun them as a community and let them know, realistically, you get no love around here,” said Alderman Brandon Bosley. “We don’t want to see you, we don’t want you around, we don’t want your friends around. If you condone that type of violence and you haven’t come forward, you need to stay the hell out of our community.”
