A man was shot and killed Tuesday morning in the Columbus Square neighborhood just north of downtown St. Louis, according to police. The shooting happened around 10:50 a.m. near the 1400 block of North 13th Street by Cass Avenue, where officers found a man suffering from gunshot wounds. Police taped off a lot near a smoke shop and kept a heavy presence at the scene while detectives worked the area.
St. Louis police told First Alert 4 the victim died at the scene, and homicide detectives were called in to take over the investigation. First Alert 4 staff on site reported “numerous SLMPD cars” and crime-scene tape surrounding the area and said authorities released few additional details.
Columbus Square Has Been On Homicide Radar This Year
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s April homicide analysis shows Columbus Square logged two homicide incidents through early April, a sign the neighborhood has already seen multiple deadly calls this year, according to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Detectives lean on that neighborhood-level data as they canvass for witnesses and surveillance footage after each new shooting.
March Smoke-Shop Shootout Just Steps Away
Earlier this spring a chaotic gunfight outside a smoke shop on the 1400 block of North 13th left two people dead and several others wounded, a burst of violence that drew a major police response and rattled neighbors. Coverage of that episode and its aftermath noted officers going door to door at nearby businesses to pull video and track down witnesses, including reporting on the deadly dusk gunfire that hit the same stretch.
The department’s March 24 update on the smoke-shop shooting detailed the March 21 response and urged anyone with information to contact the Homicide Division at 314-444-5371 or share an anonymous tip with St. Louis Regional CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS, per the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. That update also identified the two people killed in the March attack and described a preliminary investigation that pointed to a gunfight outside the shop.
Police have not publicly released the name of Tuesday’s victim or any suspect description. The investigation is still active, and officials told reporters the case is developing, according to First Alert 4. Anyone with video or information is asked to contact the Homicide Division or CrimeStoppers.
