ST. LOUIS — Family, friends and community members will gather Wednesday, August 19, at 6 p.m. at Beckett Park, near Page Boulevard and Taylor Avenue, for the annual Mansur Ball-Bey Balloon Release, an event dedicated to honoring his life, celebrating his memory and keeping his spirit alive.
The annual gathering remembers Mansur Ball-Bey, who was 18 years old when he was fatally shot by a St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officer on August 19, 2015, during the execution of a police search warrant in the Fountain Park neighborhood. His death became part of the broader local conversation surrounding policing, use of force, accountability and the relationship between law enforcement and St. Louis’ Black communities.
Ball-Bey’s family remembered him as a young man who loved sports, music and video games and had ambitions of going into business remodeling homes. He was a graduate of McCluer South-Berkeley High School and was working for FedEx at the time of his death. He and his family were also members of the Moorish Science Temple of America.
His death on August 19, 2015, was followed by protests and demands from family members and community activists for greater transparency surrounding the shooting. The St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office later conducted an independent review of the case.
The family’s pursuit of accountability continued through the courts for nearly a decade. In January 2025, following a five-day federal trial, a jury found former St. Louis police officer Kyle Chandler liable on excessive-force and wrongful-death claims and awarded Mansur’s father, Dennis Ball-Bey, $18.75 million in
damages. Subsequent federal court proceedings addressed post-trial motions in the case.
But the annual August gathering is about more than the circumstances surrounding Ball-Bey’s death. It is also about the young man his family and friends knew and their determination that his life not be defined solely by how it ended.
Community balloon releases and vigils have been part of that remembrance since the days immediately following his death. In August 2015, approximately 150 family members, friends and supporters gathered at a nearby park to pray and release balloons in his honor. Those who knew Ball-Bey described him as quiet,
respectful and active in his faith community.
This year’s annual gathering continues that tradition of remembrance.
Under the theme “Honoring His Life. Celebrating His Memory. Keeping His Spirit Alive,” participants will gather at Beckett Park at 6 p.m. on August 19 for the commemorative balloon release.
For the Ball-Bey family and those who continue to gather in Mansur’s name, the anniversary remains an opportunity to remember a son, brother, friend and young member of the St. Louis community while reflecting on the lasting impact his death has had on conversations about justice and accountability in the city.
Event Information
Annual Mansur Ball-Bey Balloon Release
Wednesday, August 19
6:00 p.m.
Beckett Park — Page Boulevard & Taylor Avenue
St. Louis, Missouri
Honoring his life. Celebrating his memory. Keeping his spirit alive.
