Norman Hardieway

A 15-year-old boy was shot to death in the city's Forest Park Southeast neighborhood. The shooting was reported about 7:45 p.m. near South Taylor and Chouteau avenues. The boy, Norman Hardieway, was found on Taylor, between Chouteau and Gibson avenues. Police spokesman Mitch McCoy said police officers performed lifesaving measures, but the boy died from his injuries. Norman went by the nickname "Bam," as in Bamm Bamm Rubble in "The Flintstones." "He was always making a lot of noise," said Norman's older brother, 21-year-old D'Corian Scales. "When he was young, he had a drum kit. He would stay on the drum kit 24/7. All day, all night." Scales said he, Norman and their sister lived with their grandparents, who raised them. Their mother died in a case Scales said was related to drugs. Norman's sister, 17-year-old Da'Nija Scales, said she noticed a change in her younger brother when their mother died in 2023. "That's when everything was going downhill with him," she said. "He was taking it very hard." Norman last attended a nearby Montessori school until his grandparents arranged for him to do online schooling. "They raised us in church," Da'Nija Scales said, "made sure we all stayed in school. Make sure nobody became a dropout." D'Corian Scales said Norman loved making music, particular rap. "One thing I loved about my little brother, he spoke his mind even though he was young," D'Corian Scales said. A Post-Dispatch reporter had been driving north on Taylor, passing Gibson, when he heard gunshots. He said he saw a couple of teens in front of him on the side of the road, looking into the alley. One of them held a gun. The reporter reversed, turned into a side street and called police. He heard more gunshots and saw two teens run south on Taylor. At least one wore a mask. He gave his account to officers. McCoy said Wednesday night's shooting scene was in the rear of the 4500 block of Gibson. The home of Norman's grandparents is about eight blocks south, on the other side of Manchester Avenue. D'Corian Scales, Norman's brother, said kids in St. Louis often take to the streets for a distraction. A regular 9-to-5 worker might be considered "lame," he said. "That's why kids want to be in the street, they don't want to be lame," Scales said. "They see it as they try to fit in." Scales said he imagines the teens who killed his brother were thinking that way.