CLAYTON, Mo. — On Aug. 31, a 23-year-old man was shot and killed by police in St. Louis County after a foot chase that started in the Saint Louis Galleria.
St. Louis County Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Ben Granda held a press conference Tuesday evening and released new information about that fatal officer-involved shooting of Terry Tillman, 23.
Granda says three officers were involved in the incident: two Richmond Heights officers and an Overland, Missouri officer who was working security at the mall. The officers reported Tillman had raised and pointed a gun in the direction of one Richmond Heights officer when the other Richmond Heights officer fired 7 shots, hitting Tillman 3 to 5 times.
Granda says they are currently reviewing 158 hours of surveillance video from the Galleria property and will attempt to get video from other surrounding cameras.
“Death investigations are always complicated, whether there was an officer-involved or not,” Granda said.
Shooting leads to protests, arrests
On Sept. 2, 25 demonstrators met at the Galleria. They marched through the mall and then left the property. The demonstrators made their way to the intersection of Brentwood Boulevard and Clayton Road and blocked north and southbound lanes for about 5 minutes, police said.
The group returned to the Galleria where management advised them that they were no longer allowed on the property. Police said when they refused to leave, the Richmond Heights Police Department gave them an order to disperse. The group then moved onto Brentwood Boulevard at Galleria Parkway where they stood and blocked the intersection. After approximately 12 minutes they were ordered to disperse.
Two members of the group remained on the roadway, refusing to move, and were arrested.
On Sept. 3, a spokesperson for the St. Louis County Police Department said ‘The investigation remains very active. This was an extensive scene to process and review. We hope to release additional information later this afternoon.’
On Sept. 3, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell released the following statement,
‘I want to share an update, directly with the community, on the officer-involved-shooting of Terry Tillman that happened near the Galleria mall this past Saturday. In tragic cases like these, it is important to understand that the need to inform the public has to be balanced with ensuring the integrity of the investigation. Members of my team and I were at the scene Saturday afternoon and continue to monitor the investigation. We are receiving constant updates, and I am confident that everything that needs to be done is being done. I am fully aware of how sensitive this issue is and I want to assure all residents a thorough and detailed investigation is being conducted. I ask for patience as this process unfolds and I will update the community as more information becomes available.’
Police are requesting anyone with information about what happened to contact them at 636-529-8210.
