ST. LOUIS — Five teenage boys injured a youth center specialist and escaped a secure St. Louis facility over the weekend. One of the teens is known to be armed and dangerous, according to information obtained by 5 On Your Side.
Three of the teenagers are still wanted by police as of July 14. The youngest of the boys was found in St. Louis County. The oldest boy, a 17-year-old, also was found and taken back to the facility. St. Louis police did not say where he was located but confirmed he had a gun that had been reported stolen in Pagedale.
Sources confirmed with 5 On Your Side’s Christine Byers that the teens – ages 14-17 years old – got out of the Hogan Regional Youth Center at 1839 Hogan Street Saturday evening.
According to police, the teens overpowered the youth specialist, causing him to hurt his ankle. The teens also doused his eyes with bleach, causing him to suffer eye injuries. The man refused medical treatment.
On their way out of the facility, the teens grabbed car keys belonging to four of the youth center’s employees. They drove off in two of the vehicles, both of which have been found.
Police said the oldest of the suspects, who's now back in the facility, has a history of being armed and dangerous. The 17-year-old boy had five loaded handguns on him when he was previously taken into custody, the police source information stated, along with “many grams of Fentanyl.” The teen is known to be involved in previous shootings and smash-and-grab incidents. Police said he also takes license plates off stolen vehicles in an attempt to avoid getting caught.
We are not releasing the names of the five suspects in this case since they are minors. They have last-known addresses in the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County and Jefferson City.
Missouri’s Division of Youth Services operates the Hogan Street Regional Youth Center.