Republished February 03, 2023 - 11:54 AM
Original Publication Date February 03, 2023 - 6:41 AM
ST. LOUIS (AP) — A man is in custody and recovering from a bullet wound after shooting two St. Louis police officers who returned fire.
The shooting happened about 10:30 p.m. Thursday, just south of downtown. The officers were initially listed in critical but stable condition. In an update Friday afternoon, police said a 24-year-old officer was in stable condition after being shot in the torso and an arm. A 38-year-old officer was shot in the torso and was treated at a hospital and released.
The 36-year-old suspect was shot in the ankle. He was treated and released into custody. He has not yet been charged. Police say a gun was recovered at the scene.
Officers spotted a pickup truck that fit the description of a vehicle used in a robbery, police said in a news release. The truck fled when officers tried to make a traffic stop, and crashed near the well-known Soulard Market, not far from the Anheuser-Busch brewery.
A suspect emerged from the vehicle and fired several shots at officers, striking them and their car, police said. The officers returned fire, hitting the suspect.
“Let's all remember that this is a dangerous job that we do,” Police Commissioner Robert Tracy said at a news conference immediately after the shooting.
Two other St. Louis officers escaped injury after being shot at Tuesday night. Police said a speeding Jeep Renegade cut in front of a police vehicle. A passenger in the back seat of the Jeep leaned out and fired several shots. Both detectives in the police vehicle were unhurt. The Jeep was able to get away.
Tracy took over as head of the St. Louis department in January. He was previously police chief in Wilmington, Delaware.
News from © The Associated Press, 2023