The family of Steffon Marmon gathered at Cotten-Branch Mortuary and Cremation Services in Ferguson, Missouri, on January 28, 2026, to celebrate his life. The St. Louis-area rapper had become another victim of gun violence in a city riddled with crime. Marmon died in the early morning hours of his 19th birthday on January 5, and hundreds gathered to pay respects to his family. Shockingly, in what should have been a reverent time, gunfire broke out. Authorities reported six injuries but, thankfully, no fatalities. They arrested 19-year-old Deangelo Taylor in connection with the shooting. The entire situation has left both police and residents disgusted.
According to KSDK, Ferguson Police Chief Troy Doyle said hundreds attended the services, and as soon as violence began, police arrived.
“He immediately called out for an officer in need of aid because of the complete chaos,” Doyle noted. “We had hundreds of individuals attending this funeral. Numerous individuals are running in different directions.”
An unidentified witness told KSDK that she felt a sense of doom right when she arrived at the funeral home. The facility’s parking lot was “wall-to-wall,” which felt ominous.
“I walked up, wondering why the line to get in was so long, because everyone was being searched,” the witness told the news outlet. “I was very uncomfortable because it just felt like something could go down. Hundreds of young people. Obviously, the funeral home was on high alert.”
According to a probable cause statement, a witness reported seeing Taylor run from the scene and into a nearby restaurant. When officers with the Ferguson Police Department found Taylor in the restaurant, he reportedly tried to run.
“While police attempted to take him into custody, a Glock that had been altered with a switch, rendering it fully automatic, fell out of the defendant’s pocket. The eyewitness told police that prior to running away, the defendant was observed pointing a firearm at the scene,” police noted in the statement.
The teen now faces charges of armed criminal action, unlawful possession of a weapon, and unlawful use of a weapon. A judge set his bond at $250,000 cash only.
Archbishop Michael West, who spent 65 years in the funeral business, told KDSK he’s seen unrest at services before, but this situation was unprecedented.
“We’re used to various upheavals, but nothing of this magnitude today. You know, but they are quite shaken, those that I’ve spoken with,” West said. He said people typically have reverence and respect for the dead and their family, but the suspect showed none of that.
“It’s unfortunate that you are in a moment of somewhat despair and bereavement and you cannot get the closure that you’re really trying to arrive at… without something of this magnitude happening,” West said. “It is sad. It is sad.”
This entire situation is sad. One teenager is dead, and the other faces serious charges. These young men had their entire lives ahead of them, but once again, guns got in the way. It’s time for big consequences or we will never see big changes.
