ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – A man was shot and killed after struggling with police Thursday evening (Oct. 25) in the 11100 block of Ruesta Drive. He was pronounced dead hours later at an area hospital. Detectives are still trying to identify him.
St. Louis County Police say two uniformed officers from the North County Precinct responded to the Oak Park Apartments and Townhomes for a disturbance call. Upon arrival, the officers found a man who appeared to be unresponsive in an SUV in the parking lot.
One officer approached the vehicle on the front passenger side and saw a handgun inside the vehicle. When he opened the door to secure the firearm, the man in the car reacted.
The officer and man struggled for control of the gun. Police say the officer was inside the SUV when the man started to drive. The officer fired at least one shot with his department-issued firearm at the man because he feared for his life.
The other officer got into his patrol vehicle after the man in the SUV started driving. He followed the vehicle and pulled in front of the SUV to stop it.
Police say the officers pulled the man from the vehicle and immediately began life-saving treatment until EMS arrived on scene. The man was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition but later died.
The SUV the man was in was reported stolen out of the City of St. Louis. Investigators recovered the handgun from the scene.
The officer who fired his gun is a man with two years of service with the department. An assisting officer is a man with less than one year of service with the department. Neither officer was injured during this incident. Both officers are on paid administrative leave during the investigation.
St. Louis County Police Department Bureau of Crimes Against Persons is investigating this case.
Please contact the St. Louis County Police Department at 636-529-8210 to speak to investigators if you have any information regarding the incident. To remain anonymous or potentially receive a reward, please contact CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS(8477)
