An off-duty police officer in St. Louis, Missouri, shot and killed a man after chasing him through a local neighborhood. Citizens are marching near the site close to the Missouri Botanical Garden, chanting slogans as more officers stand by.
Protesters in St. Louis’s Shaw neighborhood
The dead man, an 18-year-old young African American, fired at least three rounds at the officer, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Chief Sam Dotson said at a news conference.
Police reported recovering a 9mm Ruger from the scene.
The 32-year-old officer was heading to his second job as a private security guard and was reportedly wearing a uniform. The police officer has served with the St. Louis force for six years.
.@ChiefSLMPD's media briefing relative to 10/8 officer-involved shooting is now posted on our YouTube channel: http://t.co/YIJrTQoO0p
— St. Louis, MO Police (@SLMPD) October 9, 2014
St. Louis Police Lt. Col. Alfred Adkins told reporters that the officer approached four men on the street to question them.
“As he 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,” Adkins said. “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.”
Chief: officer fire 17 times. Don't know how many hit shots the suspect. Notes that suspect was still pulling trigger after his gun jammed.
— Michael Calhoun (@michaelcalhoun) October 9, 2014
Concerns are high that this latest police killing will lead to unrest in St. Louis.
Demonstrators at S. Grand and Shaw. #stl#kmoxnewspic.twitter.com/8ytccf2mZg
— Brian Kelly (@Brpkelly) October 9, 2014
People chanted slogans, including: "We're young, we're strong, we're marching all night long!" and "Fight back, fight back!"
Im hearing protesters want to stay until sunrise #shawshooting#stlpic.twitter.com/gnU3mIxBHU
— Mariah Randi Stewart (@MzzzMariah) October 9, 2014
St Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson told reporters that during the Grand Avenue march in the city’s Shaw neighborhood several police cars were damaged and had their windows smashed.
The SWAT has said this is an unlawful assembly. #STL#VonderritMyerspic.twitter.com/m0RRDn35vj
— ShordeeDooWhop (@Nettaaaaaaaa) October 9, 2014
As in the case with Michael Brown shooting two months ago in Ferguson, a suburb of St. Louis, the suspect was black, the police shooter is white.
The fatal shooting occurred Wednesday evening at 7:30 p.m. in the Shaw neighborhood of St. Louis, according to local Fox affiliate KTVI News. Law enforcement explained that the off-duty officer was working a secondary job when he attempted a pedestrian check.
Fatal police officer involved shooting scene on 4100 block of Shaw in #stl, growing crowd upset pic.twitter.com/5eNkWj4Frq
— David Carson (@PDPJ) October 9, 2014
Police on Shaw now #stlpic.twitter.com/5bSpOdOUYY
— Umar Lee (@STLAbuBadu) October 9, 2014
About 200 protesters on Grand Avenue tonight. We support everyone's First Amendment rights and ask for calm in the #STL.
— St. Louis, MO Police (@SLMPD) October 9, 2014
However, as a crowd formed at the scene, some individuals told reporters that the suspect did not have a gun. In fact, multiple people said he was only armed with a sandwich. They also told KTVI that he was shot 16 times.
Tensions high Shaw near Klemm; body on ground btwn bldgs on Shaw; @SLMPD confirm fatal police involved shtg @FOX2nowpic.twitter.com/9WASLIS9E3
— Andy Banker (@andybankertv) October 9, 2014
Local resident Teyonna Myers, 23, said the suspect’s name was 18-year-old Vonderrick Myers Jr., her cousin.
“He was unarmed,” she told the Post-Dispatch. “He had a sandwich in his hand, and they thought it was a gun. It’s like Michael Brown all over again.”
The death of Michael Brown in the neighboring city of Ferguson sparked a fierce backlash against police, who many in the community criticized for using excessive force. Brown, an unarmed African-American teenager, was shot multiple times by an officer, and his death sparked a weeks of protests in the city – as well as nationwide debate over police behavior.
Suspect's aunt cries: "they shot my Drew 16 times. All he had was a sandwich" ; fatal police shooting Klemm&Shaw So StL @FOX2now
— Andy Banker (@andybankertv) October 9, 2014
Another relative of Myers reportedly said that before being shot, the young man was also Tasered.
St. Louis police, meanwhile, are still conducting their investigation into the incident.
Ambulance called to scene for mom if 18year old killed at Shaw&Klemm in SoSTL by @SLMPD, mom fainted @fox2nowpic.twitter.com/DfdjfX898f
— Andy Banker (@andybankertv) October 9, 2014