ST. LOUIS — St. Louis police are looking for a man in connection with a shooting at a south St. Louis gas station that left a man critically injured.
Police said the shooting happened at 8:15 Sunday night at a Conoco gas station on the 6900 block of Gravois Avenue.
When police responded to a report of a shooting, they found a man on the ground behind the gas station suffering from gunshot wounds. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition and was unable to provide police with information.
During their investigation, officers reviewed security video and saw that the man was shot while he was sitting in his car. After being shot, the man ran away and collapsed behind the gas station.
Police said the suspect drove up to the gas station in a gray Mercedes coupe and shot the man with a rifle.
“It was definitely a shotgun. I heard pow, pow, pow,” Chris Johnson, who was at a nearby QT, said.
“I heard 10 shots,” longtime southside resident, Kristen Bishop, said.
The manager at the gas station didn’t want to talk on camera. But he told 5 On Your Side that shortly after 8 Sunday night, two regular customers first went inside the business, bought some items and both men then walked outside to fill up their tanks.
Out of the blew ... lots of bullets flew.
“I’m over it. The gun violence is just crazy everywhere,” Bishop said.
“I heard after the victim was shot, he ran around a corner,” recalled Chris Johnson.
Paramedics found the victim lying on the ground behind the gas station.
Workers, customers and neighbors all hope the surveillance photos help police now catch the man they say is responsible.
“I’m sure they will eventually,” Johnson said.
“I’m hoping that’s the case because we don’t need those kinds of guns on the streets. I mean those are clear photos, so hopefully somebody knows him and comes clean,” Bishop said.
On Thursday, they released security images showing a man they said is wanted in connection with the shooting. They also released an image of a car the man was driving.
Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 866-371-8477.
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.
Cure Violence is an international organization that is present in a handful of St. Louis neighborhoods. Violence interrupters are trained to de-escalate violent situations within their own communities.