ST. LOUIS — A man has been arrested and charged in the assault outside St. Louis City Hall that left two city workers injured.
St. Louis police arrested Daundre Fitzpatrick, who is 20 years old. Fitzpatrick was charged with third-degree assault, fourth-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon.
Last week, two city employees were hit in their heads — one of them with the butt of a gun — after they tried to tow cars that were parked illegally in front of city hall to make way for street cleaning crews, according to police. Protesters had been camped outside the building calling for Mayor Lyda Krewson to resign.
Police said the employees, both 47-year-old men, were trying to tow vehicles parked in a zone at 13th and Chestnut at about 3:18 a.m. where parking is banned from 3-6 a.m. for street cleaning. As tow truck drivers arrived to clear the cars for street cleaners, protesters camped outside city hall climbed onto the tow trucks and laid down in the street in front of them, according to a police summary.
Public Safety Director Jimmie Edwards issued a statement Thursday saying he had several "amicable" conversations with various protest leaders to ensure safety of protesters, the public and police. He characterized most protests in the city since June 1 as nonviolent and without injury or "little property damage."
"However, at about 3:15 a.m. this morning several protest members which are a part of the protest group currently encamped at City Hall struck a City of St. Louis employee twice in the face with an assault rifle and another employee was assaulted by being punched in the back of the head. These people are not peaceful or nonviolent and will be arrested and held accountable for their criminal behaviors. It is important that citizens as well as elected officials denounce criminal behaviors disguised as lawful protests.”
One of the city employees who told protesters to get off the truck was struck in the back of his head with a pistol. He told investigators, the suspect pulled out a small rifle from a bag and pointed it at him, according to the probable cause statement.
A second city employee then tried to intervene and also was hit in the back of his head, police said.
The original police report listed two suspects in the case. Court documents indicate both of the city employees and a witness identified Fitzpatrick as being the person who assaulted them.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the St. Louis police department’s Central Patrol Division directly at 314-444-2500, or anyone with a tip who wants to remain anonymous and is interested in a reward can contact CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477).
