Three men are in custody following the homicide of a 17-year-old on Sunday in southeast Missouri’s Malden.

The Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged Malcomb McBride-Townsend of Malden, Jordan Paul Morgan of Bernie, Mo. and Jalen Dashawn Miller of Malden with second-degree murder and class A felony of assault in the first degree.  The suspects range in age from 17 to 19.

Sunset in Malden, Missouri (Photo courtesy of the City of Malden)

According to Malden Police Department, police received a call at 3:36 a.m. of an unresponsive man at a residence in Malden.  Officers arrived at the home and found 17-year-old Dante Gibson laying on the front porch. They tried to perform CPR until the Medic One arrived and then transported him to Southeast Hospital in Dexter.  He was pronounced dead at 4:28 a.m.

Tyra Jones, Gibson’s mother says she wants peace in the community and “justice to be served.”

“No parent should ever, ever have to go through this,” Jones said. “They should never have to bury their child.  All these kids grew up together.  For this to happen it’s ridiculous and it shouldn’t have happened, because all of these kids are better than that.”

Jones says Dante played football and soccer, had tons of friends, and a goofy sense of humor.  Then in August this year, her son dropped out at Malden High School and Jones sensed his attitude changing.

“At that point, yes, but recently he had changed again where he was coming back to the Dante I knew. The loveable, goofy, outgoing Dante. He could light up a room,” The mother said.

After what happened this weekend, Jones says some people in the community are going against each other but hopes the event instead brings people closer together.

“We need to come as a community and stick together,” Jones said. “Yes, it was an unfortunate event. I lost a child, but so did other people in the event because they lost their children as the result.”

Above all, Jones wants to know the truth behind what happened and hopes no other child or parent has to go through a similar experience.

“I just hope all these kids take this as a life lesson and try to straighten up your lives. It’s not worth your life or the next person’s life,” she said.

Malden Mayor Denton Kooyman says people who are involved or know someone who is all will have their own personal and special memories to hold onto.

“I have the utmost faith in the Malden Police Department under Chief Bullock and that every necessary step is being taken by them,” Kooyman said. “I am also certain that our community is strong, filled with love, and will watch over the family and friends affected by this tragedy.”

Kenneth Cook, the superintendent of Malden schools, says they have brought in extra counselors to help students who are struggling to cope with the aftermath.

Jones says Dante Gibson’s memorial service is planned for Friday, October 26 at the Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden.

The ongoing investigation is being investigated by the Malden Police Department, Dunklin County Sheriff’s Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime.

(Missoiurinet media partner KFVS-TV contributed this story)