ST. LOUIS — An investigation is underway after a 16-year-old boy was shot and killed by St. Louis police late Sunday night.
The incident happened at a gas station in the 2800 block of North Florissant Avenue at around 11:30 p.m.
According to a police report, Drug Enforcement and Intervention detectives were in the area when they saw several people in the parking lot of the gas station armed with guns.
They drove to the gas station in an undercover vehicle to investigate, according to the report. The officers were in plain clothes wearing ballistic vests with the word “police” on the front and back.
One of the people armed with a gun, a 16-year-old boy, walked away from the parking lot and into an alley. The detectives followed him, got out of their car and told him they were police officers, the report stated.
The teen ran through an opening in an iron fence and a chase ensued. As he continued to run, he tripped over a curb and fell to the sidewalk and dropped his gun.
As the officers approached him, he reached for his gun, police said. That’s when both officers fired their guns and hit the suspect. The officers administered aid to the teen before emergency responders arrived.
He was taken to a hospital where he died. He was identified as 16-year-old Darryl Ross.
No officers were injured during the incident. The officers involved are 37 years old with 14 years on the police force and 27 years old with 4 years on the force.
A police spokesperson said officers have been called to the intersection where the gas station is located more than 100 times this year. A spokesman for Mayor Tishaura Jones said the gas station had been declared a public nuisance. A hearing to determine further action is scheduled for next month.
The Force Investigation Unit responded and is investigating.
Sunday night's shooting marked the fourth time St. Louis police shot someone in 2022, according to 5 On Your Side data.
Mayor Jones provided the following statement:
"I have been briefed on last night’s officer-involved shooting in Old North. Losing our youth to violence shows how our system has failed them time and time again. Reflecting on the circumstances that led up to this young man’s death breaks my heart, both as a mayor and as a mother of a teenage son. This comes just after a family lost their father, Bada Ali, in an officer-involved shooting last week.
"Our communities rightfully have questions about these incidents. The Force Investigation Unit is handling both cases and will pass information on to the Circuit Attorney’s Office and then on to the Civilian Oversight Board. Officers involved have been placed on administrative duty. I have also directed the Public Safety Department to release body-worn camera footage where available to family as soon as possible.
"Alongside the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, my administration is working to strengthen oversight because building trust through transparency and accountability is essential. I remain fully committed to delivering effective oversight of our police department, as well as alternative responses that connect the right professionals to the right call for those experiencing mental health crises and similar challenges."