Dominique Hoskins taught special education, delivered pizza at night and was preparing to welcome his third child.
ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Dominique Hoskins moved between two demanding jobs, teaching children during the day and delivering pizza at night, before a fatal shooting outside his Normandy workplace ended the 28-year-old father’s life Wednesday.
Hoskins’ death has brought grief to his family, his Domino’s co-workers and the Hamilton Elementary School community, where relatives said he worked as a special education teacher. He had two children and a third on the way. As police searched for his killer, loved ones focused on the many people who depended on him.
Hoskins was working an evening shift at the Domino’s restaurant on Natural Bridge Road near Lucas-Hunt Road when gunfire broke out at about 8 p.m. Wednesday. Police arrived and found him shot outside the business. He did not survive. His relatives hurried to the restaurant after receiving word that something had happened, entering a scene filled with emergency vehicles and investigators. The news that followed changed the future of a growing family. Hoskins had taken on pizza delivery work in addition to his school position, and relatives said he used both jobs to care for his children. His family described him as respectful and generous, someone who worked hard without drawing attention to himself. “He respected everyone,” a relative said while remembering how he treated family members, students and strangers. Police did not immediately explain what brought Hoskins and the shooter together or whether the attack was connected to his delivery duties.
At Hamilton Elementary School, Hoskins worked with children who required specialized instruction and close support. Special education classrooms often depend on stable relationships between educators, students and families, making the sudden loss of a staff member deeply felt across a school. Hoskins’ family said he had the patience and empathy needed for that work. His second job placed different demands on him, including evening hours, driving and repeated stops at homes and businesses. Relatives said he accepted that schedule because providing for his household mattered to him. The two roles showed different sides of the same life: one centered on students and the other on meeting his family’s financial needs. News of his death spread through the community Thursday as people learned that the man killed outside the restaurant was not only an employee there but also a teacher and father. His family said those descriptions still did not fully capture the personal loss experienced by those closest to him.
The shooting left several important facts unknown. Investigators had not publicly said whether Hoskins was confronted in the parking lot, followed back to the store or approached as he prepared for a delivery. They had not announced whether money, food, a vehicle or personal property was taken. Police also had not disclosed whether witnesses saw the attack or whether cameras recorded it. The restaurant sits along a well-traveled road surrounded by commercial properties and neighborhood traffic, giving detectives several possible sources of evidence. Investigators can compare video timestamps, vehicle movements and witness accounts to determine how long the attacker was at the property. They can also examine Hoskins’ delivery records and recent communications to reconstruct his route before the shooting. Authorities had not said whether any of those steps produced a suspect. No public description of the gunman had been released by Friday, and police had not explained whether they believed the public faced an ongoing threat.
For Hoskins’ children, the shooting carries consequences beyond the immediate investigation. Their father will not return from an evening shift, attend future school events or welcome his third child as planned. His relatives also lost someone they described as a steady presence and a source of help. At the school, students and employees faced the death of an educator during summer, when many classrooms were not operating on their normal schedules. School officials had not publicly detailed how the community would honor Hoskins or support students and staff when they returned. His death also highlighted the long workdays carried by people who combine education jobs with evening employment. Hoskins’ family did not describe that schedule as unusual for him. It was part of the routine he followed to meet his responsibilities. Wednesday’s violence turned that routine into the central timeline detectives must now examine as they work to identify the person who ended his life.
No charges had been filed by Friday. The investigation will depend on whether detectives can connect a person to the scene through witnesses, recordings, physical evidence or digital records. Police may also seek search warrants if they identify a vehicle, phone or address tied to the shooting. Prosecutors would then decide whether the evidence supports homicide charges and whether the facts show planning, robbery or another motive. Authorities had not released the number of shots fired, the type of weapon used or details from the medical examination. They also had not announced when another update would be provided. Hoskins’ relatives said they wanted an arrest and a clear account of what happened. Their call for answers reflected both grief and uncertainty because they said his character gave them no obvious reason for anyone to attack him. Until investigators establish a motive, the final minutes of his work shift remain a major unanswered part of the case.
Family members remembered Hoskins through the roles that filled his days. He was a father preparing for another child, an educator assigned to students who needed added care and a delivery worker earning income after school hours. They said he had a heart for people and did not deserve the violence that ended his life. At the Normandy restaurant, the parking lot returned to its usual purpose after investigators cleared the scene, but Hoskins’ absence remained visible to those who knew his schedule and expected him to arrive for work. At Hamilton Elementary, his name carried a different set of memories tied to classrooms, students and daily support. The separate communities became linked by his death. Relatives said their immediate attention was on his children and the difficult process of planning services while waiting for information from police. They said accountability would matter, but an arrest would not replace the parent, teacher and family member they lost.
Police continued investigating Friday without announcing a suspect or arrest. Hoskins’ family remained focused on his children and his legacy as detectives worked to determine what happened outside the restaurant at about 8 p.m. Wednesday.
Author note: Last updated July 10, 2026.