ST. LOUIS — Just after 2 Wednesday afternoon, detectives with St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's Drug Enforcement Interdiction (DEI) Unit and SWAT Team were hot on the trail of a known drug-affiliated suspect, investigators said.
"They observed a transaction, followed the suspect and then came to conduct a traffic stop for a violation. I believe it was a plate violation," Lt. Col. Michael Sack said.
Police said within moments, the 21-year-old man sped down an alley, suddenly hopped out of a white car and ran across a field near Linton Avenue and Penrose Street in the city's Fairground neighborhood.
"The DEI officer was right behind him as well as SWAT officers who had their body cameras on. It was at this point, one of the SWAT officers observed that he was armed with a handgun with an extended magazine, so he yelled over the radio 'he's got a gun,'" Sack said.
Police said the armed man kept running.
"The detective who was following right behind him observed that the subject turned once behind him pointing the gun in his direction. The officer did not discharge his weapon at that time," Sack said.
However, seconds later ...
"The subject ran a little bit further towards Linton [Avenue]. At which point, the suspect then turned again. This time further towards the officer flourishing him with a handgun. The officer discharged his weapon several times," Sack said.
The officer shot the suspect at least twice. No officers were injured.
"He doesn't do drugs. He doesn't even have any drugs," Alyssa Randle, the suspect's girlfriend, said.
A furious Randle said at the time of the shooting that her boyfriend had their 1-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son in the back seat of the car.
"He was trying to make his way back home with the kids when all this happened. They shot him in his back for no reason and out of nowhere," Randle said.
"The regular protocol will apply. The officer will be drug-screened and all of the body camera units have been seized and locked down, so we will be able to view all the video that's available," Sack added.
Police also said they recovered the gun involved in the incident. They also said the suspect underwent surgery and is expected to survive.
The St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office will review this case.