A St. Louis police sergeant who was shot twice in the face Sunday evening is expected to survive his injuries.
The 46-year-old sergeant is a 20-year veteran of the St. Louis Police Department, and serves in the city's 2nd District. He's a husband and a father of three children. He was treated at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis and released Monday morning.
The shooting happened just before 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the intersection of Hamption and Pernod Avenue.
St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson said the officer was ambushed in his cruiser by 19-year-old George P. Bush, who shot out the officer's window.
Early Monday morning, Bush was killed in a shootout with officers near the intersection of Smiley and Leola Avenues in south St. Louis.
Police say Bush may have been connected to several other crimes across the area including several robberies, a carjacking, and a homicide.
They think he may have shot at the officer because he was afraid he would be recognized for those crimes.
Bush was under investigation for a number of other felony crimes in the city and county at the time of his death. Though, officials did not elaborate on which specific cases.
Before police exchanged gunfire with the suspect, they believe a woman was driving him around in a car.
No word on what charges she could face.
Officer-involved shooting. The suspect is deceased after shooting at officers again. He was wanted for shooting officer earlier tonight.
— St. Louis, MO Police (@SLMPD) November 21, 2016
Police say that during the overnight investigation, officers found the suspect in a vehicle and approached from behind. He fled on foot from vehicle and fired shots at officers.
No officers were injured at that time.
Officers on the scene returned fire, striking and killing the suspect. Police say they recovered the suspect's weapon.
Suspect wanted for violent crimes. We believe suspect shot officer earlier in evening in fear of being recognized. Investigation ongoing.
— St. Louis, MO Police (@SLMPD) November 21, 2016
St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson spoke to the media around 2:15 a.m Monday
Dotson said St. Louis city officers will have two officers per squad car for the time being.
Neighbors in the 6500 block of Smiley, the scene of the shootout, reported hearing multiple rounds of rapid succession gunfire. They said the violent confrontation was totally uncharacteristic of the area. “I heard five shots right after the first two. Then cars came flying down the street. Police must have had the whole block partitioned off. And for that to happen here, it’s just a shock,” said resident Tom Collora.
The union representing city police officers called for permanent implementation of 2x2 patrols. But they also recognized the challenges current staffing levels pose to that plan. Right now, there are more than 100 open positions for officers in the city. “It seems like every time one of these bad incidents happen, we go to two man cars. Then as soon as things calm down, we’re back to one man cars. Then it happens again. We’d like it to be permanent. If it’s a good idea in crisis time, it’s a good idea all the time,” said Jeff Roorda, the business manager for the St. Louis Police Officer’s Association.
Roorda also elaborated Monday on the veteran officers’ injuries. He said the officer sustained two gunshot wounds to the face that would have been potentially deadly had the officer’s SUV window been rolled down. “We would have been planning a funeral. All indications are that, at that close of range, the thin that saved him was the fact that he window took the brunt of the force from the round,” he said.
Call 1-866-TIPS (8477) if you have any information that may help authorities.
As more information becomes available, this story will be updated.
Link between officer shooting and Affton carjacking under investigation
AFFTON, MO. - Police say they are looking into possible links between Sunday night's officer's shooting and a carjacking Saturday night. St. Louis County Police are asking for the community's help in the search for a suspect who allegedly shot and carjacked an Affton man.
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