A routine "sick case" call in north St. Louis County turned into a homicide investigation Saturday night after officers found a 43-year-old man shot in the 2100 block of Empire Court. Police said the man, identified as Darren Henderson, was rushed to a hospital, where he later died. Detectives said a suspect is in custody while they continue to investigate what happened.
Police: Investigators Say Argument Led To Shooting
Officers were dispatched around 7:50 p.m. Saturday to the 2100 block of Empire Court for a call coded as a "sick case." When they arrived, they found Darren Henderson, 43, suffering from gunshot wounds. He was taken to a nearby hospital and later pronounced dead. Investigators said their preliminary work indicates Henderson was shot by the suspect after some kind of argument, and that a suspect is already in custody, according to First Alert 4.
Dispatch Code 'Sick Case' And What It Means
The term "sick case" is common shorthand in regional 911 and EMS logs for a medical or welfare check. Local call records frequently list entries under "Sick Case" in routine incident summaries. One example is a multi-jurisdiction Fire/EMS call report labeled in the regional log as the Fire and EMS 24‑Hour Call Report, which shows how calls that start as welfare checks can occasionally turn into criminal investigations.
How To Pass Tips To Police
Police are asking anyone who may have information about the shooting to contact the St. Louis County Police Department at 636‑529‑8210 to speak directly with investigators, or to call St. Louis Regional CrimeStoppers at 1‑866‑371‑8477 to leave an anonymous tip. The department’s Bureau of Communications lists 636‑529‑8210 as its non-emergency number, and CrimeStoppers confirms its tip line at 1‑866‑371‑8477; see St. Louis County Police and St. Louis Regional CrimeStoppers for more details.
The St. Louis County Police told First Alert 4 that the investigation is still active and that additional information will be released as it becomes available. This story will be updated if investigators share more details.
