Community, Family, Cross Country Coach Mourns After Young Edwardsville Woman’s Tragic Death

EDWARDSVILLE - Shannon O’Brien, a 28-year-old described by her family as “an extraordinary person,” died last Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in a tragic shooting in Ferguson, Mo., and her former high school cross country coach in Edwardsville said he was shocked and saddened when he learned the news.

O'Brien died after shots were fired in the 1700 block of Windward Court in Ferguson, Mo. She was pronounced dead at the scene. St. Louis County Police have not yet released full details of the shooting.

O’Brien, an Edwardsville High School graduate, was remembered as a wonderful person by George Patrlyak, an Edwardsville cross-country coach who coached her in high school, who said she was “quiet and so well-rounded with activities.”

The coach added: “She was bright and definitely a good one,” Patrlyak said. “Her brothers (Kevin and Mark) ran cross country at Edwardsville, too.”

Patrlyak said he saw O’Brien recently while out for dinner in January 2026, when she was with her father, having dinner, and “listening to music.”

“He said she looked vibrant that evening, and he said hello to her and her father on that Friday night,” according to the information provided.

In a statement included in her obituary, O’Brien’s family said Shannon “was a victim of senseless violence" and “died last Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in North County.”

“Shannon loved nature and animals, and especially her beloved bunny Torrance and the many dogs and cats she grew up with,” the family said in the obituary. “She was such a loving person, and put forth so much effort to continually improve herself and to help those around her.”

The obituary listed survivors, including her parents, Jean and Jerry O’Brien; brothers Mark and Kevin; Kevin’s life-partner, Jade; their daughters, Quinn and Willow; and her grandmother, Katherine (Kay) O’Brien, along with extended family members and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations to the International Institute of St. Louis and to the APA, Pet Adoption, Wellness & Education in St. Louis.

For those who wish to attend, a celebration of O’Brien’s life is set for 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, at Weber & Rodney Funeral Home in Edwardsville, with a 2 p.m. graveside service at Woodlawn Cemetery in Edwardsville.

“We are so grateful for all of those who have reached out to us,” the family said in the obituary. “Again, we can’t adequately share how much we will continue to miss our amazing, beautiful Shannon.”

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