ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Two men were shot and killed at separate neighborhood parties in Spanish Lake and Glasgow Village, where many people gathered to watch Fourth of July fireworks.
The north St. Louis County shooting in Spanish Lake also left five others hurt.
Fireworks were still littering the streets a day after a mass shooting in Spanish Lake.
"This neighborhood has been very peaceful. Until last night," neighbor Cordelia Carver said.
Cordelia Carver said a couple of hundred people showed up to watch fireworks on Lakeview Avenue like they do every year. Except this Fourth of July ended with gunfire.
"I was trying to run for cover. By that time, I couldn't look out the window or anything because they were shooting this way. And they shot up my house," she said.
Six people were shot in the 1200 block of Lakeview Avenue shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday. One man was killed and a man and a woman were in critical condition, while three others, two men and one woman, have minor injuries.
"Although our officers responded very quickly to this scene, several individuals had left the scene before we got there. We're looking for any individuals with information to reach out to us," St. Louis County Police spokeswoman Sgt. Tracy Panus said.
According to Panus, there was more than one shooter on Lakeview Avenue.
"I would imagine it was very scary last night with a lot of rounds being fired off again at that second party—a lot of individuals firing weapons. We don't know how many at this point. There were a lot of children and a lot of people there. It's a blessing that more people were not struck by any of the bullets that were flying," Panus said.
Carver said a bullet came into her house, through her bedroom curtain, and shattered her TV, inches from where she was lying.
"I was like, that's gunfire. But then I could hear it hit my house. And I was like, 'uh oh,' so I jumped off the bed and just started running toward the back of the house," Carver said.
Less than an hour before that shooting, there was another shooting around 10:20 p.m. in the 10200 block of Valley Drive, about three miles from Lakeview Avenue.
A man was gunned down as he attended a "heavily attended fireworks gathering" in Glasgow Village, police said. He was taken to an area hospital, where he later died.
"A lot of people attended both of these fireworks displays. These were neighborhood parties that were being held for the Fourth of July," Panus said.
St. Louis County police do not believe the two shootings are connected.
The investigation was ongoing as of late Friday afternoon, and police had not yet shared the identities of the two deceased victims or what led up to both shootings.
Currently, nobody is in custody. Police are asking for people to come forward with any information.
"We know that we have a supportive public out there and a supportive community that doesn't want to see these types of things happen in their neighborhoods, and we're just encouraging them to come forward with that information so they can help us bring these people to justice," Panus said.
Carver said she doesn't want to see this happen in her neighborhood again.
"I'm just disgusted with all this. And I'm tired of it. We just wish these young people would just stop with the killing," she said.
Anyone with information about either of the deadly shootings is asked to contact St. Louis County investigators at 636-529-8210. To remain anonymous and potentially receive a reward, contact CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477).
This is the second shooting this week in Spanish Lake. A 15-year-old girl was shot Tuesday morning.
Last week, another teen, 17-year-old Khalil Stanley, was shot and killed in Glasgow Village.
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.
The Bullet Related Injury Clinic (BRIC) is a community-based clinic in St. Louis that helps people heal after they have been injured by a bullet. The BRIC was established to help people who are discharged from the emergency department after being shot.