KINLOCH, Mo. — An investigation is underway after an off-duty volunteer firefighter with the Kinloch Fire Protection District was shot early Thursday morning.
According to police, the 25-year-old man works at Express Scripts and got off work at around 2 a.m. He walked over to the Kinloch firehouse before catching a bus home.
Shortly after leaving the firehouse at around 3:45 a.m., two cars pulled up and the man heard several shots, police said. He was shot in the arm and was taken to the hospital for treatment. Authorities said he is expected to make a full recovery.
The victim served with the Kinloch fire department for three years.
“That’s one call that you never hope to get, and you just dread when you get that phone call that one of your personnel has been injured in such a way,” Kinloch fire chief Kevin Stewart said. “That’s nothing that any leader or chief would want to have to experience or deal with."
Police do not believe the victim was the intended target in the shooting.
This is the second time a Kinloch firefighter has been injured in a shooting. In June of 2020, a Kinloch firefighter was shot at an Applebee's and suffered serious injuries.
Resources for crime victims:
If you have been a victim of a crime or know someone who has been, 5 On Your Side has compiled a list of resources.
Better Family Life is a nonprofit community development organization working to “stabilize inner-city neighborhoods.” One aspect of its mission is a gun violence de-escalation program.
To learn more, call 314-381-8200 or visit https://www.betterfamilylife.org/
Life Outside of Violence “helps those harmed by stabbing, gunshot or assault receive the treatment, support and resources they need to find alternatives to end the cycle of violence.”
To learn more, call 314-327-6697 or email: ProjectLOV@WUSTL.edu
The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis has an anti-crime program called “Safety Net for Youth Initiative,” which is a joint partnership between and Saint Louis Public Schools to provide services to at-risk youth.
To learn more, visit https://www.ulstl.com/anti-crime-initiative.html
Cure Violence is an international organization that has recently launched in a handful of St. Louis neighborhoods. Violence interrupters are trained to deescalate violent situations within their own communities. To learn more, visit https://cvg.org/