ST. LOUIS — A woman and her three grandchildren were robbed of their go-kart at gunpoint Wednesday afternoon.
At around 3:45 p.m., St. Louis police were called to Riverview Boulevard and McLaran Avenue for a hold up.
A 68-year-old woman told officers she was with her three young grandchildren who were riding their new go-kart on a vacant lot, according to a police report. While her 9-year-old grandson was riding around, a man approached with a gun pointed at them and demanded the go-kart.
The boy complied and the suspect got on the go-kart and fled the area.
At around 11:30 p.m., officers spotted the suspect with the stolen go-kart in the area of Arlington and Thekla. Police attempted to stop the go-kart, but the suspect fled.
Officers later found the go-kart abandoned in the 5500 block of Emerson after it hit a tree. The suspect, a 24-year-old man, now identified as Antonio Woods, was taken into custody. He was then taken to a hospital after saying he was injured in the accident.
Woods was charged with first-degree robbery.
Police said the go-kart was returned to the family.
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.
Better Family Life is a nonprofit community development organization working to “stabilize inner-city neighborhoods.” One aspect of its mission is a gun violence de-escalation program.
To learn more, call 314-381-8200 or visit https://www.betterfamilylife.org/
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.”
To learn more, call 314-327-6697 or email: ProjectLOV@WUSTL.edu
The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis has an anti-crime program called “Safety Net for Youth Initiative,” which is a joint partnership between and Saint Louis Public Schools to provide services to at-risk youth.
To learn more, visit https://www.ulstl.com/anti-crime-initiative.html
Cure Violence is an international organization that has recently launched in a handful of St. Louis neighborhoods. Violence interrupters are trained to deescalate violent situations within their own communities. To learn more, visit https://cvg.org/
