Police arrested a man Sunday night after residents reported a group of masked people trying to get into the long-vacant Railway Exchange building in downtown St. Louis. Responding officers say they found a suspect with a handgun equipped with an extended magazine and took him into custody. Authorities also reported seizing what they described as a large quantity of suspected marijuana.
911 Calls Credited With Tip That Led To Arrest
Officers and detectives were dispatched after multiple 911 complaints about people in masks attempting to enter the abandoned Railway Exchange, according to St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (OFFICIAL). The department’s post states that officers located a suspect with a firearm and an extended magazine and arrested him at the scene, and that a large amount of suspected marijuana was recovered.
Long-Vacant Downtown Landmark Keeps Drawing Calls
The 21-story Railway Exchange has sat largely vacant since 2014 and has been the subject of city efforts to stabilize and secure the property, St. Louis Public Radio reported. Local coverage has documented boarded entrances and earlier cuts to private security at the site, underscoring why officers regularly respond to incidents there, as noted by First Alert 4.
What Police Have Released So Far
The department’s post did not identify the arrested person or list formal charges; the case remains under investigation, according to St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (OFFICIAL). Police have not indicated whether additional suspects were detained or whether forced entry occurred, and they did not immediately provide booking or charge details.
