ST. LOUIS – Charges were announced against two St. Louis police officers connected to a shooting outside a bar in April 2018, leading the police union to call for Prosecuting Attorney Kim Gardner to step down.
Joseph Schmitt and William Olsten were off-duty at the time of the shooting.
It happened on April 27, 2018, in the parking lot of Bomber O’Brien’s Sports Bar and Grill in Tower Grove South. A group of four off-duty St. Louis police officers were eating at the bar and grill when a man confronted one of the off-duty officers and the two exchanged words.
According to court documents, none of the officers identified themselves as police officers, and all were in plain clothes.
The confrontation moved outside to the parking lot of the bar, where the man fired at the off-duty officer, striking him in the wrist and the shoulder. One of the other off-duty officers returned fire and struck the man in the lower extremities and his shoulder. The man suffered serious injuries, but it’s unclear what his condition is now.
Schmitt was charged with first-degree assault, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon. Olsten was charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. Both men were placed on administrative suspension, which is always unpaid.
Schmitt has two years of service as an officer while Olsten has ten-and-a-half years of service.
Police have not released their mugshots.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office released the following statement,
"I believe the vast majority of St. Louis police officers serve our community honorably every day. While it’s very discouraging to bring charges against police officers, I want to send a clear message to this community. No one is above the law, even law enforcement officers.”
In a response to the charges and Gardner's statement, the Fraternal Order of Police released a statement saying Gardner abused her power by charging the officers. The statement goes on to say Gardner should step down because she has lost credibility due to campaign finance violations and perjury accusations related to the Greitens case.
Gardner responded to the police union's statement calling the accusation "perilously close to libel" She tweeted the full statement.
An attorney representing the man involved in the confrontation released this statement.