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Crowds in streets of St. Louis after fatal shooting by off-duty police officer Crowds in streets of St. Louis after fatal shooting of 18-year-old by off-duty police officer
(about 3 hours later)
Protesters took to the streets of south St. Louis last night and early this morning following the fatal shooting of an African-American man by an off-duty police officer. Updated: 5 a.m.
According to police, the officer was working for a private security company, but was in a St. Louis police uniform when he encountered four men who fled. Protesters took to the streets of south St. Louis last night and early this morning following the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old African-American man by an off-duty police officer. In an early morning briefing, Police Chief Sam Dotson said the man fired three shots at the officer first. The officer returned fire 17 times.
According to Assistant Chief Alfred Adkins, as the officer “exited the car, the gentlemen took off running. He was able to follow one of them before he lost him and then found him again as the guy jumped out of some bushes across the street.” Details remained sketchy. According to police, the officer was working for a private security company at the time patrolling a specific neighborhood, but was in a St. Louis police uniform when he encountered three men he thought were acting suspiciously. When they saw the officer make a U-turn, they fled.
“The officer approached, they got into a struggle, they ended up into a gangway, at which time the young man pulled a weapon and shots were fired. The officer returned fire and unfortunately the young man was killed.” Police said a gun was recovered from the scene. He drove through the streets after them and then left his care and chased them on foot. One of the men then turned on the officer and got into a physical struggle, Dotson said.
Relatives quoted by local news organizations said the man had only a sandwich, not a weapon. While police said the man was in his early 20s, residents said he was 18. St. Louis Today quoted a witness who said he heard 14 or 15 shots. Dotson said the victim then ran up a hill and fired three times at the officer, before the officer returned fire. Investigators recovered a 9mm Ruger at the scene, which Dotson said was used by the 18-year-old.
Relatives quoted by local news organizations said the man had only a sandwich, not a weapon.
While crowds gathered in the streets jeering at police and blocking traffic on Grand Boulevard, according to television footage, there were no immediate reports of any violence.While crowds gathered in the streets jeering at police and blocking traffic on Grand Boulevard, according to television footage, there were no immediate reports of any violence.
“I pray this is not another Mike Brown situation,” Sharon Norman, 50, told the paper, referring to the incident on Aug. 9 in the nearby community of Ferguson in which a police officer fatally shot an unarmed teenager, Michael Brown, setting off protests and rioting. The Ferguson shooting is still be investigated. “I pray this is not another Mike Brown situation,” Sharon Norman, 50, told the paper, referring to the incident on Aug. 9 in the nearby community of Ferguson in which a police officer fatally shot an unarmed teenager, Michael Brown, setting off protests and rioting. The Ferguson shooting is still be investigated.