Eight people were wounded in a series of separate overnight shootings across St. Louis early Tuesday, according to police. The gunfire broke out in several neighborhoods, and victims ranged from teenagers to people in their 30s. Some were rushed to hospitals by friends or relatives instead of ambulances, and they remain in various conditions as detectives try to sort out the who, where and why.
According to described multiple separate scenes, one of the victims, a 19-year-old, was dropped off at a hospital with a gunshot wound to the chest after being hit while walking near Labadie and Euclid. In another incident, three people ages 16, 19 and 26 were driven to a hospital after being shot near Gilmore and Thekla. Police said other rounds of gunfire left people hurt at a barbecue near West Florissant and Kingshighway and at Gravois and Cherokee. Several of the wounded were reported in stable condition, while one man was listed as critical but stable.
First Alert 4 reported that District 5 officers were called just after 11:30 p.m. to Loughborough and Parkwood Place after a fight broke out and multiple people pulled guns. Police said a 30-year-old man ended up with a gunshot wound to the thigh in the 4300 block of Loughborough following the argument. Investigators told the station they are reviewing surveillance video from the area to identify possible suspects and witnesses, and First Alert 4 noted the department is analyzing the footage. Police said that account lines up with what they have on the Loughborough scene so far.
Police response and investigation
Detectives canvassed the affected neighborhoods overnight and into the morning, knocking on doors and checking for cameras while hospitals treated the stream of gunshot victims. The department's CompStat reports show shooting numbers can swing from week to week. A report covering Feb. 2 through 8 recorded eight shooting incidents and nine shooting victims, a snapshot that underscores the city’s ongoing struggle with gun violence. The CompStat figures are published by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
What investigators are asking for
Police told reporters they were not able to develop suspect descriptions for five of the six incidents and are asking anyone with video or information to contact detectives, according to asking anyone with video or information. No arrests have been announced.
If you saw anything, call 911 in an emergency or the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's non-emergency line at 314-231-1212. The department's website has more on how to tip investigators. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to CrimeStoppers.
