St. Louis judge imposes life sentence in cousin’s killing captured during victim’s 911 call
Life term follows 2020 Lewis Place shooting
A St. Louis judge has sentenced a city man to life in prison for the 2020 killing of his cousin, a homicide that unfolded as the victim was speaking with a 911 dispatcher.
The defendant, Anwar Shands, 43, was found guilty in a bench trial of first-degree murder and armed criminal action. The case centered on the shooting death of 45-year-old Mallam Amir Tifah on Dec. 27, 2020, in the 4500 block of Newberry Terrace in the Lewis Place neighborhood. Judge Lynne R. Perkins presided over the trial.
What prosecutors said happened
Police responding to reports of gunfire found Tifah lying face down and unresponsive. The medical examiner determined Tifah had been shot nine times, with most of the wounds entering through his back.
Witnesses reported seeing Shands fire multiple shots and then run into a nearby home. They also told investigators that Shands was wearing a red hoodie during the shooting but was no longer wearing it when he returned home shortly afterward. Officers later recovered a burned red hoodie behind a nearby residence.
911 call recorded additional gunfire
A key element in the case was a 911 call placed by Tifah after the first shots were fired. While he remained on the phone with the dispatcher, the call captured additional gunfire. Authorities said those shots were fired as Tifah was struck in the back, and the dispatcher heard the continued shooting in real time.
The sequence of events placed the victim’s emergency call at the center of the timeline, documenting that gunfire continued after the initial report and while help was being summoned.
Charges and sentence
First-degree murder in Missouri carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Shands’ conviction for armed criminal action resulted in an additional punishment, under Missouri law, tied to the use of a weapon in committing a felony.
Defendant: Anwar Shands, 43
Victim: Mallam Amir Tifah, 45
Date of killing: Dec. 27, 2020
Location: 4500 block of Newberry Terrace, Lewis Place
Convictions: first-degree murder; armed criminal action
Case posture and investigative details
The prosecution was handled by attorneys assigned to the city’s Circuit Attorney’s Office. The investigation was conducted by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
The case highlights how audio captured during emergency calls can become central evidence, particularly when it documents the timing of continued violence and the victim’s attempt to obtain help as events are unfolding.