ST. LOUIS — A St. Louis police officer was almost shot on his way to work at about 10:40 p.m. Monday in the Dutchtown neighborhood, and when he tried to return fire, his duty weapon jammed. The shooting happened about 10 minutes after another man was shot.
The 42-year-old officer was driving his personal car in the 3500 block of Bingham on his way to the South Patrol station when a group of people and vehicles blocked his route. He blew his horn and heard two gunshots behind his vehicle, according to a police report.
The officer looked back and saw a man in the street with a handgun pointed in his direction. The officer got out of his car to take cover and the man fired four or five shots at him.
The officer tried to return fire with his duty weapon, but it wouldn’t fire, according to police.
The crowd scattered and the officer returned to his car and drove to the station to report the incident. He had a scratch on his shin, which he believes happened when he dove back into his car. He refused medical treatment, police said.
The officer was wearing a large camouflage army fatigue jacket over his department uniform at the time of the shooting, according to police, so it’s not known whether he was targeted because he is an officer.
Police believe the shooting is connected to another shooting that happened about 10 minutes before the officer was fired upon near the same location.
Police found a 32-year-old man with multiple gunshot wounds to his lower extremities in an alley nearby. The victim gave police several inconsistent statements, but told officers he went to there to meet an acquaintance when he heard multiple gunshots.
The victim told police when he went to investigate, a man started firing shots at him, so he ran and collapsed in the alley. He was listed in stable condition, police said.
