A third teenager has turned himself into police in connection with the death of 32-year-old Bosnian immigrant Zemir Begic, who was beat with hammers on Sunday night in St. Louis.
KMOV reports the incident took place at the 4200 block of Itaska St. Sunday night around 1:00 a.m., when four teens came up to Begic’s car and started pounding it with hammers. Begic, who was in the car with his girlfriend, stepped out to approach the teens and was struck in the mouth, head, and abdomen.
Sadly, Begic was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Following the assault, the teenagers fled the scene on foot. A 15 and 16-year-old were located a short time later and placed in the custody of juvenile authorities. Monday morning, authorities said they have a 17-year-old in custody in connection with the murder. Police say the 17-year-old suspect surrendered himself to homicide investigators Sunday night.
Police Chief Sam Dotson spoke to reporters after an outcry from the Bosnian community, including staged protests and blocked traffic.
“I want everybody to know I take your safety and everyone in the community’s safety very seriously,” said St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson. “I heard your message loud and clear. You want to make sure you are safe. I want to make sure you are safe in every neighborhood in our city.”
A police spokeswoman said investigators do not believe race played a role in the bludgeoning death, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
While authorities have been working swiftly on the investigation, the family of another St. Louis resident, DeAndre Joshua, is still waiting to find out more information regarding his mysterious death. The 20-year-old was found dead in a parked car last week and had connections to Dorian Johnson, a friend of late Ferguson teen Michael Brown, who was present when he was shot by Officer Darren Wilson.
SOURCE: KMOV, St. Louis Post-Dispatch | VIDEO CREDIT: News Inc.
