Two men charged in shooting death of 10-year-old boy in unincorporated Belleville

Two men have been charged in the death of 10-year-old Brandon E. Scott, who was shot and killed on Monday night at his family home on Roosevelt Avenue near Belleville.

Devin Dunbar, 20, of Riaza Square St., Spanish Lake, Missouri; and Jaylen P. Nicks, of Sugar Pine Drive, Florissant, Missouri, 26, are each charged with first-degree murder, authorities announced Friday. Dunbar is being held on $1.25 million bond and Nicks is being held on $1 million bond in St. Louis County.

The suspects are acquainted with the family and “individuals connected to the scene,” Belleville Police Master Sgt. Shane Brown, deputy commander of the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis, said at a press conference Friday morning.

“We’re confident that this was not just a random act of violence, that the individuals involved had some knowledge of the location they were going to,” he said. “There is an acquaintance of the family or an acquaintance of individuals who were on the scene.”

Brandon was shot and killed Monday night at his home at 1800 Roosevelt Ave. The home is in St. Clair County and near the city limits of Belleville.

Deputies found the youth when they responded to a 9:57 p.m. report of someone being shot, according to Sgt. James Hendricks of the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department. Brandon was pronounced dead at 10:59 p.m. at Memorial Hospital in Belleville, according to St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr.

Brandon’s father, Wendel Scott Jr., told the BND this week that Brandon was playing a video game when someone shot at the house.

At the press conference, Brown did not expand on any additional details regarding the circumstances of Brandon’s death.

“I’m not going to release that portion of it. That’ll be further down the line due to the circumstances ... there’s still the possibilities of witnesses out that we need to interview,” he said.

The criminal complaint states that the defendants “discharged a firearm into the residence located at 1800 Roosevelt Avenue, Belleville, St. Clair County, Illinois, striking Brandon Scott about the body.”

Scott and Brandon’s aunt, Debbie Moore, said Friday they are thankful to the Major Case Squad and the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department for all of their work on case.

Scott said he is “very elated to know that the people who killed my son have been arrested and will be punished.”

He said he and his family “plan to see this case to the end and the two people who are responsible receive justice to the fullest extent of the law.” He said it is a happy day but the “real happiness will come when these people are sentenced in a court of law.”

Responding to the news that the arrests were made, Moore shouted: “Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Jesus. Oh God is good. “

Brown expressed his condolences to the entire family.

“The Major Case Squad would like to express their condolences to the family of Brandon Scott,” Brown said. “This unfortunate and tragic event not only touched his family but the community as a whole. 10-year-old Brandon Scott lost the opportunity to live out a prosperous life because of the senseless acts of those who were charged in this investigation.”

St. Clair County Sheriff Rick Watson thanked all agencies involved in the case.

“I’d like to thank Shane Brown and his team of investigators and the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office. As you can see, this is a team effort,” he said. “We also had to have people working with us from St. Louis County across the river. This came to a successful conclusion and I’d like to say thank you to all of you.”

The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis is continuing its investigation. Brown said he was not sure when Dunbar and Nicks would be extradited back to Illinois.

“St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s office will be working on extradition. If they waive it, it should be a short time, but there’s no guarantee on that,” he said.

Anyone with information should call 618-825-5200 or 618-825-2051.

“It’s still an open investigation,” Brown said. “The sheriff’s department and Major Case Squad are still active right now. So we’re still taking any leads, phone calls, or any information about witnesses that are involved in this.”