Wheaton Woman Shot And Killed In St. Louis

ST. LOUIS (CBS) -- A woman from Wheaton was killed in broad daylight in St. Louis on Saturday, as the former volleyball player was in town for an alumni game at St. Louis University.

Megan Boken, 23, was shot to death in front of an apartment building where she used to live while she was a student at the university.

Neighbor Dyan Lee told KMOV-TV in St. Louis, "I heard a bang, and didn't think much of it. I thought maybe it was a car door. And then the sirens, almost immediately. So I looked out my second-floor window, and I saw the poor girl right there. And this is tragic, it's very, very sad."

CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports witnesses gave very different accounts of the fatal shooting.

Officially, police were saying anything is possible.

Boken, a graduate of St. Francis High School in Wheaton, was in her white Volkswagen in St. Louis' Central West End neighborhood at about 2:15 p.m. Saturday, when she was shot in the neck and chest.

There were conflicting reports from police and witnesses about the gunman. Some said he'd been inside Boken's car, then exited, turned around, and shot her. Others said he was not in the car at all.

"Could it be random? Anything is possible at this point," said St. Louis Police Sgt. Roger Engelhardt

The gunman fled the scene on foot.

Boken, a 2011 SLU graduate, was in St. Louis for a reunion game for former volleyball players, scheduled to take place about two hours after she was killed.

Police have described the gunman as an African-American male, in his mid-20′s, 5'8″ to 5'10″, with a thin build and a short haircut. Police were also hoping video from nearby surveillance cameras might help them find the shooter.

In a statement, Boken's family said, "Megan was a wonderful and beautiful human being loved by everyone she met. The family and the community are devastated by this senseless tragedy and the family would like to thank everyone for their outpouring of support. The initial reports that Megan knew her attacker are no longer believed to be true. The family asks that you keep Megan and them in your thoughts and prayers and respect their privacy at this time."

St. Louis University also issued a statement on Boken's death:

"We are shocked and saddened by this terrible and tragic loss. Megan was a truly outstanding student-athlete who excelled in the classroom and on the court. She exemplified the very best of what it means to be a Saint Louis University Billiken. Our focus right now is on providing as much support as we can for our students, and our thoughts and prayers are with Megan's family and friends during this very difficult time."

Boken had reportedly moved back home to Wheaton after graduating from SLU last year. A police source said detectives were still on the street investigating on Sunday, and no one was in custody.