KIRKWOOD, Mo. – The St. Louis County Police Officer charged with firing multiple shots into the air during a trunk or treat event this past weekend made his first court appearance Tuesday morning.
39-year-old Matthew McCulloch appeared inside the Buzz Westfall Justice Center in Clayton. He was in prison khakis and shackles and had two security guards near him at all times. The arraignment and initial appearance was brief only lasting minutes.
McCulloch answered “yes Judge” when the Judge spoke to him. McCulloch’s attorney entering a not guilty plea on McCulloch’s behalf. McCulloch is facing 11 counts for firing around a dozen shots into the air at a trunk or treat event on Sunday afternoon.
The event was for students at Tillman Elementary School in Kirkwood and took place at North Kirkwood Middle School. The charges against McCulloch include child endangerment, armed criminal action, making a terrorist threat, and unlawful use of a weapon.
Court documents said that McCulloch told people at the event that “you are all going to die.” Fortunately nobody was hurt. Authorities say others at the event tackled McCulloch after he fired the shots and held him down until police got there to arrest him.
McCulloch is a St. Louis County Police Officer and the son of longtime former St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch. He was off duty when this all happened on Sunday. McCulloch is jailed on a $500,000 cash only bond.
At the court appearance, the judge set a bond reduction hearing for next Tuesday morning. County Police Chief Kenneth Gregory shared that McCulloch is on unpaid administrative leave pending an internal investigation.
