ST. LOUIS — A Ferguson man who shot and killed a man after a fight at a St. Louis bar in 2021 was acquitted by a jury Thursday evening.
Rodregus Fuqua, 27, was found not guilty of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the October 2021 shooting at The Other Place II Bar & Grill at 1901 St. Louis Avenue.
Police said Fuqua was kicked out of the bar on Oct. 28, 2021, but returned with a gun and opened fire into the crowd, injuring 52-year-old Richard Young. Young later died from his injuries.
According to a press release from the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court of Missouri, Fuqua testified in the case and told the jury he fired in self-defense after a fight inside the bar.
After more than five hours of deliberations, the jury returned not guilty verdicts for the charge of second-degree murder and one count of armed criminal action. The jury was deadlocked on a second charge of armed criminal action and one count of first-degree assault. Those charges were dismissed Friday.
During the incident, an off-duty officer fired back at Fuqua. Fuqua was wounded during the incident and paralyzed from the waist down.
This is the second time Fuqua was tried in this case. The first trial, in October, ended in a mistrial after Fuqua's lawyer reported not receiving some evidence, the press release from the circuit court said.
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