ST CHARLES, Mo. — One woman was killed and another woman injured in a Saturday afternoon shooting in St. Charles.
Trae Spratt, 29, has been charged with first-degree murder, first-degree domestic assault, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and four counts of armed criminal action after a shooting Saturday afternoon.
Lt. Tom Wilkinson with the St. Charles Police Department said officers responded just after 3:30 p.m. to reports of shots fired on the 100 block of Ameristar Boulevard at an apartment complex, west of Ameristar Casino.
A 37-year-old woman was shot in the head and pronounced dead at the scene.
She was later identified as Tracy Bradford, Spratt's sister.
The second victim, a 32-year-old woman, was shot in the face. She was transported to a local hospital and is expected to survive, according to the St. Charles Police Department's press release.
The second victim was identified as Spratt's girlfriend. Her identity has not been released.
Officers also discovered two boys, ages 6 and 8, in a room with the second victim, who were uninjured and are now with another family member.
In a press release, the St. Charles police said that the 32-year-old victim and Spratt, who is not the father of the two boys, had been living together but were in the process of separating.
Spratt was removing items from the apartment in St. Charles when he observed Bradford and his girlfriend talking about him. He then produced a handgun, shot both women and fled the scene in a red Ford Fusion.
Police were able to identify Spratt as a suspect after the shooting. He later turned himself into the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and was taken into custody by St. Charles police.
Spratt is currently being held on a $2 million cash-only bond.
The St. Charles Police Department is asking anyone who may have information about what occurred to contact the St. Charles Detective Bureau at 636-949-3300.
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 with 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/
