Police said two masked suspects stole Hakee Mitchell’s phone, keys, wallet and cash before running away.
ST. LOUIS, MO — A North St. Louis man was shot and robbed outside his home Tuesday morning as he was leaving for work, and a nurse on her way to work stopped to help him, police and relatives said.
Hakee Mitchell, known locally as a mentor and community figure, was injured May 12 in what police described as a robbery or attempted carjacking near his home. The attack left him with a gunshot wound to the knee and a broken femur, according to accounts from police and relatives. Investigators were still looking for the two masked suspects as of the latest public update.
The shooting happened during what relatives described as a normal workday routine. Mitchell was outside his North St. Louis home and near his truck when two masked suspects approached him. Police said the suspects shot him, took his property and fled. A nurse who lived nearby or was passing through the area stopped to help before emergency crews arrived. Jamal Mitchell, a relative, said the attack could have ended in death. “They could have killed him,” he said, describing the fear that followed the early morning violence. Mitchell was taken for medical treatment and later needed surgery after the bullet broke his femur.
Police said the suspects stole Mitchell’s phone, keys and wallet. Jamal Mitchell said the wallet held $800 in cash. Officers who responded found Mitchell suffering from a gunshot wound to his knee. The exact block where the shooting happened was not fully detailed in the public reports reviewed, and police had not released the suspects’ names. The suspects were described only as masked, and the number of shots fired was not immediately clear. No arrest had been announced. The nurse’s name also was not released in the early reports, but neighbors credited the quick response as important in the moments after the shooting.
The case drew attention because of Mitchell’s standing in the neighborhood and because the violence happened steps from home during a routine trip to work. Reports identified him as a North St. Louis mentor, a role that placed him around young people and community work before he became the victim of the attack. The shooting also came during a week when St. Louis police were handling other violent crime calls across the city. In this case, investigators focused on two suspects who appeared to target Mitchell as he was preparing to leave. What led the suspects to him, whether they followed him or whether his vehicle was their main target remained unknown.
The investigation was continuing Thursday, May 14. Police had not announced charges, and no court hearing had been scheduled because no suspect had been publicly identified. Detectives were expected to review any available surveillance video, witness statements and physical evidence from the scene. The stolen phone and keys may also be part of the investigation if police are able to track or recover them. Mitchell’s medical recovery remained a separate concern for his family after surgery for the broken femur. Police had not said whether the case would be handled as robbery, assault, attempted carjacking or a combination of charges if suspects are arrested.
Neighbors described a frightening scene outside a home that should have been familiar and safe. The nurse’s response stood out because it happened before most people had time to process what had occurred. The shooting left Mitchell wounded on the ground or near his vehicle as people nearby tried to understand the danger and call for help. Jamal Mitchell said the loss of cash, phone and keys mattered less than the fact that his relative survived. He said the suspects took things that could be replaced, but the gunshot showed how quickly the robbery became life-threatening.
Mitchell remained alive after the shooting, but police were still searching for the two masked suspects. The next major step in the case is an arrest or a new police update identifying more evidence, a clearer suspect description or possible charges.
Author note: Last updated May 14, 2026.