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Police: 1-year-old girl shot in the head during apparent attempted robbery

The infant and a 23-year-old man believed to be a suspect were shot at about 8:30 p.m. near the intersection of Pleasant Street and Lee Avenue.

ST. LOUIS — A 1-year-old girl was shot in the head and a 22-year-old man believed to be a suspect in the shooting was shot in the chest Friday night in the city's Fairground neighborhood, police said.

St. Louis police said preliminary information suggests the shooting occurred after the man attempted to carjack a 29-year-old woman who was with the 1-year-old. 

The woman was not injured.

The girl was listed as unstable and was taken to a St. Louis hospital in critical condition. Saturday, St. Louis police said after surgery the girl was stable, but still in critical condition. 

Police said the suspect was found in a nearby residence after the shooting. He was "barely conscious, but breathing," according to police. He was transported to the hospital.

Police do not know how the man was shot.

The suspect was still in critical condition but stable as of Saturday. 

The incident happened at about 8:30 p.m. near the intersection of Pleasant Street and Lee Avenue.

Detectives from the department's homicide division are handling the investigation due to the 1-year-old's condition, police said. 

The girl is the 60th child to be injured or killed by gunfire in 2022 in St. Louis, according to 5 On Your Side data.

The shootings happened on the same day St. Louis police sergeants and officers assigned to the bureaus of community policing and specialized enforcement began working mandatory 12-hour shifts on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in an effort to slow anticipated summer crime.

Officers assigned to the evening watch will work 3 p.m.–3 a.m.; those assigned to the night watch will work 7 p.m.–7 a.m.

“As the summer months near, bringing a likely increase in call volume and a higher propensity for violent crime, adjustments are needed to ensure we have the proper amount of personnel available to handle calls and maintain visibility,” St. Louis police Chief John Hayden wrote in a letter to officers in May.

Three other people were shot—one fatally—in St. Louis in the past 24 hours.

A 33-year-old man inside a home on the 5300 block of Labadie Avenue was shot in the leg by someone firing shots from outside. He was taken to a St. Louis hospital for treatment.

A 46-year-old man was found dead on the sidewalk at about 12:30 a.m. Thursday on the 8900 block of Newby Street. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.

And about four hours later, a 46-year-old man was found lying on the front steps of a home on the 1400 block of Blackstone Avenue. He told police he was walking on the sidewalk when someone shot him in the ankle. He was also taken to a St. Louis hospital for treatment.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

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.

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."

The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis has an anti-crime program called “Safety Net for Youth Initiative,” which is a joint partnership with St. Louis Public Schools to provide services to at-risk youth.

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.

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