ST. LOUIS — St. Louis police are looking for a man who is facing charges in connection with the deadly shooting of a gas station employee in July.
The St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office issued murder charges against 45-year-old John Phillips in connection with the shooting death of 62-year-old Mack Wagner on July 29. Phillips has not been taken into custody, and police are looking for help tracking him down.
Anyone who sees Philips is asked to call 911 and do not approach him.
According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, officers were called at about 2:50 p.m. on July 29 to a shooting inside Kaiser's Grand Mart at 5008 South Grand Boulevard. There, they found a 62-year-old man with a bullet-related injury unconscious and barely breathing on the floor of the business.
The man was taken to an area hospital for treatment, where he was later pronounced dead. He was later identified as 62-year-old Mack Wagner.
5 On Your Side spoke with Wagner's girlfriend Rena Anderson, who also worked at the store. She said he was trying to stop someone from stealing doughnuts.
"He was trying to stop someone from stealing, and he told the person to give him the stuff, and the person said, 'No, I can take whatever I want.' I wasn't there, but that's what our co-worker told me happened," Anderson said.
Wagner and the guy then argued.
Rena Anderson says four customers and two employees were inside the gas station at the time.
"Mack maced him, and then he shot Mack in the lower abdomen," Anderson said.
Phillips was charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, first-degree robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm. The above photo is from a previous arrest in 2023.
