ST. LOUIS — An off-duty police officer exchanged gunfire with multiple juvenile suspects while attempting to stop car break-ins early Monday morning near St. Louis' Tower Grove Park.
According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, it happened shortly after 2 a.m. Monday near Hartford Street and Alfred Avenue, just blocks from the park. The officer saw several suspects breaking into and attempting to steal a 61-year-old man's car. He confronted the suspects and was able to detain a 15-year-old boy who was in the driver's seat of the vehicle.
The other suspects ran to nearby awaiting vehicles and at least one of the suspects fired shots at the officer, who returned gunfire, according to Lt. Bill March, with St. Louis Police.
"Gun violence of any nature is horrific. Fortunately, in this incident, nobody was injured," he said.
Lt. March said police believe six juveniles were involved in the gun battle and the car the off-duty officer caught them trying to steal wasn't the suspects' only target.
"One of the vehicles that they were in, that they were driving this morning, was recovered in the first district, and it was also a reported stolen vehicle," he said.
One of the suspects' vehicles, a Hyundai Sonata, was found abandoned in the 5700 block of Coronado Avenue shortly after. The car had been reported stolen on Saturday in the 6200 block of Mardel Avenue.
The off-duty cop, a St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officer with 13 years of service on the force, was uninjured during the incident, according to the department. It was unknown if any of the suspects that fled were struck.
The 15-year-old suspect was taken to the Juvenile Building, police said.
The Force Investigation Unit was requested.
Jason Freeman was one of the many who woke up to the gunfire Monday morning.
"I heard about three shots in a row, and then again, another three shots, and then just a car basically screeching down the street, and then maybe five minutes later, a bunch of sirens from cops," he said.
The chaos was happening just steps away from Freeman's front door.
"I kind of, like, jumped up out of bed and I was kind of wondering what was going on, especially because it sounded so close to me," he said.
Those same terrifying sounds also woke up Adrienne Doerr.
"It was about two in the morning. We had the windows open, and we woke up to the gunshots," she said.
Both Freeman and Doerr said they love living in Tower Grove South and this kind of crime isn't normal in their area, but they both added, that it's now happening everywhere.
"I feel like that's kind of a thing that's going on right now, unfortunately," Doerr said.
"The fact that more and more kids are becoming more prone to do those types of things is just sad," Freeman said.
This unsettling trend of teens and guns is one many hope can be fixed.
"Nothing necessarily bad needs to happen to them but get them to some type of program that makes them better and gets them off of that path," Freeman said.
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.
The Crime Victim Center of St. Louis has multiple programs to support victims of crime. Crime Victim Center’s programs range from direct services to crime victims as well as “creating awareness and change within the systems they encounter.”
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 the Neighborhood Healing Network, which serves people who have experienced crime, violence or been the victim of an incident that caused trauma.
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