JENNINGS, Mo. – Neicey Smith sat on her front porch Wednesday night, wondering what her community could do to prevent another tragedy.

The Jennings grandmother lives a few blocks from the scene of Tuesday’s violence that took the life of Justin Brooks, 14.

“What’s that golden answer (to stop the violence)? And right now, I think no one really knows,” Smith asked.

She concluded that there’s no single answer.

“How can we connect to our young people to get them to understand (that) when they’re going through a crisis, when they’re feeling alone or angry, there’s people out here they can talk to,” she said.

Justin was a junior high student in the Jennings School District. St. Louis County Police are investigating. As of Wednesday, no arrests had been reported.

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Police said there was a fight leading up to the stabbing on the 2400 block of Hord Ave. Nearby residents had seen fights between students in that neighborhood before.

Angel Lang is a friend of Brooks’ family. She said the teen was a tremendous football and basketball player.

“It wasn’t supposed to happen,” Lang said. “He had a long life ahead of him.”

She said Justin was outgoing, loved to dance and loved his family.

“He adored his sisters,” she said.

Smith credits the Jennings School District for providing resources and hopes other community members will unite in finding ways to prevent violence before it’s too late.

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