ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — A suspect who fired shots at police officers was struck and injured when they returned fire Wednesday evening in north St. Louis County, according to a police source.
Prosecutors on Thursday charged Je'von Henderson, 30, with first-degree assault of a special victim, armed criminal action, and resisting arrest. A judge ordered Henderson, who was still in the hospital, to be held on a $500,000 bond.
The shooting happened at around 5 p.m. following a police pursuit that ended near the on-ramp to Interstate 170 at Natural Bridge Road.
Police said they tried to conduct a traffic stop at 4:30 p.m. near Calvert Avenue and North Avenue. According to court documents, the officer pulled Henderson over for a license plate violation and excessively tinted windows.
During the stop, the officer saw signs that Henderson was possibly intoxicated and asked him to step out of the car; the officer also placed a spike strip in front of one of the car's tires.
Henderson instead drove away, police said; he took off onto I-170, and police pursued him until he lost control and veered off into a ditch.
As the officer tried to approach the vehicle, he saw Henderson point a pistol at him and pull the trigger.
The St. Louis County Police Department, which took over the investigation, said three officers returned fire at Henderson.
"That involved a Breckenridge Hills Police Department and the Woodson Terrace Police Department," said Vera Clay with St. Louis County Police, the agency now taking over the investigation.
A 9mm semiautomatic pistol and an AR-15 style pistol were recovered from the car.
As police investigated the scene, a white Lexus could be seen flipped on its side on the side of the interstate.
None of the officers were hurt.
Anyone who witnessed the shooting or has other information is asked to call police at 636-529-8210.