ZACHARY LINHARES
visual journalist

Tonya Lee, Officer David Lee’s wife, is surrounded by family as she cries during a balloon release for her husband on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at the North Patrol Division in St. Louis, Mo. Officer Lee was killed on Sept. 22 after he was hit by a car while responding to a separate crash on Interstate 70 near North Grand Avenue. 

An unidentified man shoots a pistol equipped with an auto sear switch towards a house at an undisclosed location in St. Louis. The auto sear switch is a modified gun part that transforms the semi-automatic gun into a fully automatic machine gun.

Community members gather around as fireworks explode during a Fourth of July celebration on Thursday, July 4, 2024, in East St. Louis, Ill.

Ne’Kyrah Watson, left, Mia House, Xavier Lowe, and Nehemiah Johnson, perform CPR on a manikin before the Red, White & Blue Springs firework display at Blue Springs South High School on Saturday, July 1, 2023, in Blue Springs.

Vietnam War Veteran Johnny Siva sits for a portrait outside of St. Anthony Padua Catholic Church on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, in St. Louis, Mo.  

Missouri Tigers safety Marvin Burks Jr. is kissed by his girlfriend, Charlye Moody, after the Tigers beat Vanderbilt 30-27 in double overtime on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in Columbia, Mo.

Heather Isbell, left, walks along a beach as her friends Lennox and Blair trail behind on Sunday, May 16, 2024, in Blue Mountain Beach, Fla. 

Norborne Hardin-Central head football coach Andrew Watson spray paints hash marks onto the football field on Oct. 14, 2021, in Hardin, Mo. 

Missouri wide receiver Marquis Johnson catches the ball as he is tackled by Iowa's TJ Hall in the second half of the TransPerfect Music City Bowl on Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tn.

Blues defender Colton Parayko takes a slapshot in the first period of a game against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Mo.

Chris Andoe throws beads out to crowds of people below during a Mardi Gras celebration on Saturday, Feb. 10, in St. Louis, Mo. 

Molly Stout, of Edwardsville, braids the hair of Marisol Rios-Kelley, 10, of Ferguson, before a rehearsal. Rios-Kelley plays Marta von Trapp in the theatrical production and makes routine trips to Hermann with her mother, Christina Rios, who is artistic director of the theatrical performance.

Brett Suda sits for a portrait after his morning work out on June 20, 2022, at his apartment in St. Louis, Mo. 

Elaina Paige Thomas, right, speaks with a group of dancers at the end of her class on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, at The Next Paige in Kansas City, Mo.  Paige Thomas is a former back up dancer for Beyoncé and owns a dance studio in Kansas City. “I believe that learning Run the World for all women sets us up for success, for confidence, to rebuild your strength,” Paige Thomas said. “Because at the end of the day, women do run the world.”

Levi Zoltowski, center, from St. Charles, waits in line to vote on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, at St. Charles Christian Church in the New Town area of St. Charles, Mo. At 5:45 pm, the line to vote at the church stretched one city block and Zoltowski said he and other voters had been waiting in line for approximately 30 minutes.

Building owner Arlie Singleton, left, and church Secretary Nkuli Mamba, middle right, give code enforcers with the City of St. Louis a tour of the Mount Of Olives Ministry church on Tuesday, March 5, 2024. Members of the congregation were involved in an alleged kidnapping where a woman was held against her will in the basement of the church.

Lightning illuminates a large storm cloud on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in Florissant.

Crowds of people throw colors into the air during a Holi celebration on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at Stacy Park in Olivette, Mo. 

Andy Burris is embraced by Loralai Kruid as Burris’ son Justice Burris rubs his back on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, in Leavenworth. The Burris’ lost their family member Cruz Burris to a fentanyl overdose in Jan. 2023.

A firefighter with the Florissant Valley Fire Protection District stretches out a hose to extinguish a fire on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, in Florissant, Mo.