ST. LOUIS — Prosecutors filed charges against a man after police said his ex-girlfriend shot him in self-defense Saturday morning in south St. Louis.
Martez Hopgood, 21, was charged with one count each of first-degree harassment and non-consensual dissemination of private sexual images.
Hopgood called his ex-girlfriend multiple times and threatened her life, and also posted a threatening message about her online, including her address, and "tried to entice others against her," a probable cause statement said. He also publicly posted private sexual images of the victim, police said.
At around 8:30 a.m. Saturday, police said Montez chased her around on the 7000 block of Morgan Ford Road while holding his hand in his pocket "to make it look like he had a gun" while her son was in a car waiting for her, police said.
"While she was trying to get away from him, and was screaming, 'No! No!' he continued to approach her on her porch. Terrified that he would kill her, as he threatened to do over and over again, (the victim) shot him in his leg," the probable cause statement said.
The shooting was captured on a home security camera.
Police said Hopgood has a history of domestic violence arrests and has threatened the woman in the past, including an incident several months ago where he kidnapped her and her child for several hours until they escaped and ran for help.
According to the probable cause statement, video from a Ring doorbell camera showed them running to a house for help, and then showed Hopgood coming to the house to look for them a short time later.
The woman said Hopgood also previously threatened her with an AR-15 rifle.
5 On Your Side spoke with neighbors who said that they heard what happened after the sound of yelling woke them from their sleep.
A neighbor said they heard the woman saying, "Get away from me." After more yelling and screaming, neighbors said they heard and witnessed the shooting from the window of their home.
Video captured by a nearby security camera showed the man emerging out of a corner. Later, the video showed the man limping off.
"He ran up on me. He ran up on me. He ran up on me," the woman said, winded as she tried to explain what happened to a bystander.
Hopgood was released from the hospital and booked at the St. Louis City Justice Center, where he was being held without bond.
